Meant To Be - a paily fanfic
by paily-pll
Summary: They're meant to be right? Seems the rest of the world doesn't see it that way. A paily fanfic to fill the void between summer finale & winter promo. Paige & Emily were going strong but -A is back & times get hard. Lies and secrets, danger and love... just a typical girls life in Rosewood. They know they're meant to be. But can they get the rest of the world to agree?
1. Chapter 1

_Here's my first multi-chapter paily fanfic. It follows everything we've already seen on the show, but takes my own lil road from here on. The more reviews/follows/favourites, the quicker I manage to get the next chap up, its motivating you see! :-)_

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Chapter 1 - Paige POV:

I never thought walking down these halls would ever be as difficult as it was three years ago. Avoiding everyone I could and yet merging with anyone I could, trying to avoid those certain faces that always seemed to find me. Whether I wanted them to or not.

Avoiding Alison DiLaurentis was what you would call an infinite impossibility. That girl just knew how to find you. And when you are confined to the corridors and classrooms of a school, or in fact just the town in which you live… I barely went a day without seeing those cold, scathing blue eyes glare at me. They only thing that ever made it even slightly bearable was the fact that 90% of the time, those icy blue eyes came alongside dark, absorbing chocolate eyes. The eyes that have always made my stomach flip and heart race.

But I was wrong, It's just as difficult as three years ago. Now that I'm once again trying to avoid everyone and yet merge within them, I feel hopelessly desperate at the fact I've come full circle. I may no longer be avoiding the icy blues, but it hurts much worse that's it's the chocolate eyes that I'm praying don't find me.

As I turn the corner and approach the lockers that I know hold a high possibility of holding said eyes, I increase my pace and keep my head down, not wanting to know either way. Staring solely at the floor as I filter between the crowd, my eyes lock onto my shoe laces. My right shoe lace to be precise. The shoe lace speckled with brown flecks as yet again one of a thousand unforgettable memories springs to the forefront of my brain….

* * *

_Flashback:_

_"I swear, you're going to pay for that McCullers!" Emily screams across the kitchen as I press my bare feet hard into the ground and run as fast as I can._

_I can hear a clatter of pots and pans as I slip around the hallway and press myself tight into the wall. A floorboard creeks under her feet as I hear her approaching and try to decide whether or not to make another break for it… I take a deep breath, a smile plastered across my face, as I decide against it and press my back harder into the wall behind me._

_"Hah!" She shouts as she jumps out like some ninja in front of me and makes me jump even though I heard her coming. _

_Before I can react, her hand comes flying at my face. Covered in flour and chocolate source, it slips straight into my hair as she ruffles her fingers around and I feel my hair instantly stick and clunk together with the mess of cake mix._

_"Ewww, not in my hair!" I say as I fight under her grasp, my eyes setting on the bowl placed in her free hand. I quickly step aside and dig my fingers into the bowl, collecting a handful of mix as I raise my eyes back to hers, finding her rapidly registering my next move._

_"No… no. Don't you dare." She says but unconvincingly as the smirk pulls across her face._

_I raise my hands and wipe the mixture across her face and down her neck as she squirms, giggling under my touch. Trying without success to move out of reach as I wipe my remainder of the mess on my hand across her shirt._

_"There" I say, as if I'm standing in front of a master piece. Before I quickly turn to run again, laughing as I go._

_"Not so quick you!" _

_I feel her hand clamp around my arm before I can move out of reach and am pulled back to face her. She holds me steady and before my eyes I suddenly see the mixing bowl coming straight at my head. She lifts it high, I can see the contents inside and picture it rapidly coming at my face as Emily aims it my direction. I quickly duck under her arm still holding me tight and move just in time to see the mixture splash all over the floor. That, strangely enough happens in slow motion as I watch the brown, chocolaty mixture hit the laminate of Emily's hallway and instantly splash out in all directions. It splatters up the wall and all over the shoe rack as well as spraying across both our bare feet._

_"Argh, Jheeze. They're my new converses Emily!" I say accusingly as I turn to her after watching chocolate source splash over the shoes I'd brought with her that very same day._

_"What, you started it!" she laughs, feigning hurt at my accusation._

_"Did not" I reply half heartedly, not helping the smile tugging at my cheeks._

_"Then what the hell is this?" she points to her nose as I laugh at the giant smudge of chocolate I so artistically put there at the beginning of our lil food fight. "it's not make up you know!" she adds as she prods me in the shoulder. _

_She steps over the mess and turns to walk back to the kitchen, laughing as she goes and this time I reach out for her. Except she's gone further then I think and have to step forward to catch her hand. As soon as my foot hits the floor, I realise what a stupid idea that was._

_"Whoaa!" escapes my mouth as my foot slides instantly in the cake mix._

_Unfortunately for Emily, my fall to the floor starts at the exact time my hand attaches to her wrist and in an instant we're both falling to the floor. My feet disappear underneath me as I collapse on my back. Pulling her with me, I realise in my descent that she's heading face first for the mess now spread all over the floor and tug on her arm. She falls hard straight on top of me as a huff of air is forced from my lungs._

_ "Ergh…" I sigh as I open my eyes and catch my breath, hearing a faint ringing of the metal mixing bowl now spinning around the floor._

_Emily, her whole body laying directly on top of mine, starts to laugh. And laugh uncontrollably. Her forehead falls to my shoulder as she laughs hard and shakes on top of me._

_"Oh I'm glad you find it so funny Miss Fields!" I giggle back, raising my hand to swat her side. "Not only are my new trainers ruined, but I've broken my back!" I say as she raises her head to look at me, still laughing. _

_She cocks her head and raises her eyes brows._

_"And the damn cake's ruined!" I add and that's it, we're both flailing around in a fit of giggles._

_Gradually, we gain control of ourselves and our unruly laughter drops to a simmer. Instead of rolling off me, she repositions her legs as if to get more comfy as she leans up on her elbows, placed either side of my head._

_"Well, that's what you get when you start a food fight with a pro like me" she says as she smiles above me._

_"Actually, I think I won" _

_"How on earth do you figure that?" she begins, her ever competitive side always reliable to surface. "If I'm not mistaken, you've got gunk all through your hair and are currently laying in a pool of chocolate after falling flat on your ass" she finishes looking all proud of herself. _

_"Hmmm correct, but I still won" I repeat._

_Her smile falters just a little as her eyebrows rise once more, looking confused. I lift my chocolate covered hands to her sides and squeeze her gently as I force my eyes from hers and look down. I look down at how she's laying over me, her whole body pressed directly into mine, every contour fitting perfectly and I hear her giggle as she understands._

_"Babe, if you wanted me in this position, you only had to ask…" she lingers as my eyes connect with her instantly, a smile pulling at my cheeks. A sight I see mirrored on her as my eyes lower to her lips, my stomach knotting with anticipation…._

* * *

I'm quickly brought out of the memory and back to the cold hard surroundings of the school corridor as a familiar scent wafts through the air and straight into my senses. Coffee and vanilla. A scent so distinctively her. A scent that makes me shiver and goose bumps threaten my skin . My feet momentarily slow with the realisation that although I'm still looking directly at my shoes, trying to make my way through the crowd, she's close. She's close and I will never, ever be able to forget that scent or the person it belongs too.

A break in the crowd opens as I see day light streaming in through the exit doors ahead of me. I pick up my pace as well as my head as I look straight ahead and end up pretty much marching towards those doors and my freedom from the torture that never truly ends.

"Paige!" I suddenly hear behind me as my feet falter again.

I quickly regain my pace and hit the exit bar, pushing the door wide and ignore the voice that I forever longed to call my name. The cold, bitter breeze of Rosewood in November hits me hard as I pull my sliding bag back on to my shoulder and hug my arms across my chest.  
Striding for the car park, I slowly hear footsteps quickly patting the floor behind me. Gradually getting closer and closer, I can hear the running pace quicken. I unfold my arms and reach for my car keys in my back pocket as I ignore the sound and spot my car shielded behind a huge black jeep.

"Paige, please just wait up" I hear again and my wishful thinking is shunned as Emily's voice replaces the sound of her footsteps. I didn't hear wrong, it is her. Of course it is.

I slide next to the huge vehicle shadowing mine as I ignore her and slide my bag off my shoulder. Pressing the electric lock on my key I hear the mechanics click into action and the car beep as I reach for the door handle.

"Paige…"

It's a whisper, but suddenly there she is, standing in front of me. A little out of breath, her hand has found its way over the top of the car door handle and I quickly pull my hand still on its path, back to my side before it connects with hers. I instinctively take a step back, distancing myself from her as I keep my eyes low.

"Please don't do that..." she sighs. "It's not like I'm going to hurt you" she adds, clearly wounded at my immediate need to be as far from her as I can.

Her words spin around my head as my eyes raise immediately to hers.

"Really…?" my voice cracks in a half whisper of irony. She understands immediately.

"Paige… I never meant to hurt you. That's the last thing I'd ever want to do" she replies as I lower my eyes back to my shoes, quickly scolding myself as I see the cake mix covered laces again. No matter how many times I washed them, the white laces always held the same marks and memories. "I need to talk to you, I need to try and explain" she adds as I force myself to look away from my shoes, my stomach knotting with nausea.

"I can't. I have to go" I say as I keep my eyes on the huge car next to us, seems the safest place to look. The only place within my current vicinity that doesn't feel like it'll rip my heart out of my chest. That is until I catch the sight of three certain faces through the windows, walking our way and getting closer.

"No you don't. Don't forget I know you, I know you have a study period now and you don't have to be anywhere. Just let me explain." She steps forward, my eyes immediately snapping back to hers as she gets just a little closer. I find I'm frustratingly lost in her eyes as soon as they connect with mine, feeling my chest tighten. Suddenly her hand leaves the car handle and reaches for me. It snaps me back to reality as I drop her gaze and step back, regaining the distance we had before.

"Why now?" I ask, flicking my gaze between her and the floor. "Why is it now that you can explain, what's changed so dramatically that I'm suddenly allowed to be part of your life?" I add without even hearing the words leave my mouth.

"Paige, I just…" she starts before she's interrupted.

Her phone alert rings in her back pocket and I can't help but laugh. The sound that has plagued us ever since we became an 'us' and I still don't know why it's such an unbelievable menace. With a glance her direction, I see her glassy eyes filled with moisture and her head drop in apparent frustration or sadness. It sends a jolt of pain through me, to see her upset. I know no matter how much I will my body not to reach out to her or find some comforting words that may be able to help her, it's no use. But before I do react, the three faces appear around the side of the vehicle that was shielding us from the rest of the world.

"Emily." Aria states as Hanna and Spencer stand with her, all glaring straight at me.

She looks up at me and our eyes connect as instantly as they always do. I can see tears willing themselves to fall, but she stops them. I see her head drawing everything together… the phone alert, her friends now standing behind her… and even though she's stood rock steady, I see her slowly fade away from me. Just like she always has recently. The spark in her eyes disappears and she drifts into her head. I know her next move and speak before I have to watch her do it.

"It's fine. Go. You always do." I say as tears burn my own eyes but I force my voice to stay strong.

I force my entire being to stay strong as I reach and open my car door. Failing slightly as she voluntarily steps out of the way and a tear falls from my eyes. Once again she's pulling away and letting me go. I crank the car and floor the gas as I speed out of the car park without looking back, my entire body shaking, sobs pouring from my mouth and vision becoming blurry as I head as far away from here as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much to the five that gave such quick and lovely reviews. In the next couple of chapters you'll find out what has rocked them so much and what it's going to mean for them to ever be able to be together again. Keep letting me know what y'all think as the story progresses. :-)_

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Chapter 2 - Emilys POV:

My whole world seems to crumble yet again. Even though I feel like there's nothing left to shatter.  
I watch as her car speeds out of school and continue, stood frozen long after the sound of her screeching tyres have disappeared.

"Em… are you ok?" I hear faintly as reality kicks in and I feel Hanna place her hand on my back.

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine" I stutter, sniffing and wiping my eyes as I abruptly turn away from her, and all of them. Walking back to school as fast as I can.

"Emily wait!" Spencer shouts after me as they follow.

"Why?!" I reply annoyed at having to keep my emotions in check for just another second, willing myself not to breakdown so publically. But then my frustration takes over and I snap back around to face them as they suddenly stop in their tracks. "All I ever do is wait. Wait to feel ok with who I am, wait around to get walked over by Ali, wait for the sound of that stupid text alert, wait to tell Paige what's really going on and about…"

"Emily!" Spencer and Aria interrupt in unison before I end up letting slip the secret that we all have to keep.

My hands still raised in the air from shouting, I lower them back to my sides, take a breath and grab my phone out of my back pocket.

"There…" I say throwing my phone at the girls. "I don't want to know. I'm not waiting around anymore. All I ever do I wait and I can't take it. I'm not going back in there just to sit and wait for the world to sort out my problems. Or wait for _that_ to screw it up!" I shout, first pointing towards school and then back to my phone now in Arias hands, referring to the torturer that never gives in.

Without looking back, I turn away from school and my friends and head for my own car, not knowing where to go or what to do but knowing I can't go back in that building, or read yet another threat that dictates how I live my life. It's already taken practically everything I care about. I slam the door and step on the gas, pulling out of the parking lot just as Paige had done minutes earlier.

I replay everything that was just said over and over. Before I realise it, tears are slowly rolling down my cheeks and I refuse to wipe them clear. Feeling as if the trails of pain they leave on my face will somehow either make it better, or make it even worse. And if it could get any worse, that's how I feel it should be. I know I've hurt the one person I truly love. The only person that loves me back with just as much understanding and emotion and depth. I wish I could have answered her when she asked 'why now? Why has anything changed?' She's right to ask because honestly, only one thing has.

I'm losing her.

I'm losing her and I've got to do everything I can to get her back. To prove to her that she means more to me then she could ever imagine.

With that, it suddenly dawns on me that my car is instinctively taking me to my destination. Without a single conscious action or thought, I've already driven ten minutes from school before I realise where I'm heading.

* * *

Paiges POV:

Five minutes after I watch the school disappear behind me, I pull the car slowly to the side of the road, physically unable to continue driving. I'm a complete mess. My face freezing with the air con cooling the tears that pour from my eyes, my chest heaving out of control and my hands trembling with so much conviction that I find it difficult to turn off the ignition. I force myself to take deep breaths, knowing nothing is going to change any time soon and this isn't going to help at all. And I should know, it's all I've been doing for the past week. Crying, sleeping, a little eating  
and the cycle repeats. Pretty much what any free second in the last 7 days has involved.

Gathering my breath and wiping my eyes after a couple of minutes. I urge myself to find the inner steel inside that McCullers are so known for. Just enough so I can at least make it home. Not where I want to be or was planning on going, but I know I can't make it any further. My parents aren't around and I'm so exhausted, all I can think about it getting home and collapsing on my bed. Just like every other day recently.

So I take one last breath to steady myself and turn the key, making it home without another dramatic collapse of emotion. Pulling the car up the driveway, I feel my resolve already wavering with the sight of some sort of comfort just a couple of steps away. For once I can't wait to get inside. Turning the engine off, my breathing shakes as I place both hands on the steering wheel and rest my head against it. Wishing I could just get a grip. Wishing it all didn't hurt so bad. I feel a single tear hit my jeans as I blink heavily and sigh. Knowing that this day isn't going to be any easier than the rest.

Silently , the tears still fall as I climb out and shut the door, heading for the house. However, just a few steps in whilst clicking my key to lock the car, I hear a sound of screeching tyres crunch up the driveway just behind me. I turn and feel my knees immediately buckle, only catching myself just time so I don't crumble to the floor. Turning the engine off herself, she looks straight at me. She looks sad, even through the glare of the windscreen I can see she's upset. She looks torn and broken. I feel nauseous again and close my eyes. Unable to look I turn away, heading straight for the front door.

Instantly I hear Emily's car door slam shut and footsteps once again running after me.

Clumsily fumbling with the keys in my shaky hands, I drop them as I step onto the front step. Standing from picking them up, I immediately feel her presence behind me. Heavy breathing, a warmth and of course, coffee and vanilla. My whole body shudders as I find the key and reach for the door.

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Emilys POV:

My hands twitch and raise up and down, standing behind her and wanting so badly to touch her, but fearing the reaction I'll get if I do. '_Stop waiting and just do something_' rings around my head. The words I thought over and over once I realised it was here I was driving. It snaps me into action just as she places the key in the lock. I reach my hand and place it on her back.

And there's the reaction I feared. She instantly tenses and moves so quick I genuinely wonder if the feather light touch has somehow hurt her. She quickly turns the key.

"Don't" she says as she opens her door and steps from my touch. But the way she sounds, her voice. It's a whisper, a crackle… a broken shell. I think it's the worse sound I've ever heard and it hits me again just how much I've hurt her.

"I didn't mean… I'm sorry. I just…" I mumble as my hand drops back to my side. She's standing just inside her door with her back to me as I force myself not to breakdown. "Paige please, just… just turn around". I finish, not able to talk to the back of her, not when I can see her body trembling slightly.

I need to see her, I need to see what I've done to remind myself just how much I've got to make up to her. And just how much she deserves it. She slowly takes a deep breath and turns to face me, her eyes never leaving the floor. I can't help the whimper that leaves my throat as I see her. Somehow she looks smaller. Her face stained with tears, her chest shaking slightly when she breathes in and her whole demeanour changed. She looks lost.

"Paige… I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." I say and hear the tremble in my own voice. I force myself to pull it together, it's not me that should be falling apart. It's completely selfish to breakdown because you pulled away from someone and now you miss them heartbreakingly so. Especially when that person is standing in front of you. "Please, just give me a chance. I know I don't deserve it but please" I add, sounding stronger and willing her eyes to look up at me.

I watch her breathing slow a little and she lifts her hand to wipe her face, wipe away the tears that had continued to fall. But instead of looking up, she takes a deep breath and steps back. Steps back and slowly starts to close the door. She pulling away from me like I know I've done to her, expect I'm the reason she's pulling back. She's doing what I said and I know that but I can't stop myself. I step forward and lightly place my hand on the door, slowing it's path to closing.

"I want to try and make this better. I might not be able to explain everything right now but I need you to know that I never gave up on you. I never gave up on us." I say as I take another step, now standing at arms length from her as she continues to look at the floor but I watch as she processes everything I say. The tears momentarily slowing. "I need to talk to you, I need to just be near you Paige, please" and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I know I shouldn't have said them.

"And you think I don't!" she snaps as her eyes finally look up to mine. But when I see the hurt and anger behind them, my want to see them wavers. I swallow hard hearing her raised voice and continue to hold her gaze. "…But that's not fair. You can't just walk away, you can't leave me and think I'll be fine. Think I'll be ok and that you can come and see me whenever you feel the _need_! It's not… It's just not fair."

"Neither's the entire reason why I walked away…" I linger under my breath but know it wasn't quiet enough.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asks, a little lower in volume but still clearly hurt and angry.

I sigh, dropping my gaze, knowing that yet again I'm about to disappoint her. About to hurt her and continue to act as if I'm pushing her away by not telling her what's going on. But I also know I can't. I can't put her in that situation. In that danger.

"Ergh, Fine!" she suddenly shouts, obviously knowing she wasn't going to get the answer she wants to hear.

And suddenly it's all happening so fast. That steely strength she has inside of her is competing with the tears that are once again threatening to fall as she pushes hard against the door. And even with my hand trying to hold it steady, it moves. It moves fast and it takes everything I have to react quick enough to get in the way.

I force my shoulder forward and practically body check the door. She suddenly stops, trying to pull it back as she see's me move, but not having enough time to stop it before I pretty much bounce off the door. I ignore the pain as I grab my shoulder and take the opportunity, whilst she's stood in shock, to push past her and the half closed door and step into her house.

"Emily, I.. I mean" she stumbles looking at my shoulder, battling with her emotions to care for me. Something I can't believe she still instinctively has within her after the way I've treated her, but I don't let her think any further.

"I'm fine" I say as I shake my arm, trying my best to hide any sign of the electric pain that scores across my shoulder and back. Stepping forward, her eyes suddenly snap to mine as she watches me step in front of her. She's turned a little, her back now facing the slightly open door.

"Please… just go" she whispers as her eyes drop back to the floor but it doesn't even have the slightest tone of conviction. The only thing it does have, is the tremble of emotion returning.

"I'm not going anywhere." I reply as I take a step towards her.

Now invading her personal space, she looks back up to me. Slowly she realises I'm closing her in and bolts to move. Before she can go anywhere, I reach both my arms ahead and push them either side of her shoulders and into the door behind her, forcing it shut and boxing her between my arms.

Her back just centimetres from the door. Her body just centimetres from mine. Nowhere to go.

"Don't!" I say as she makes one last attempt to run by trying to duck under my arms.

I move my arm down, blocking her way without actually touching her as she stands straight again. I place my palms flat on the door behind her as she shakily sighs and looks up to the ceiling.

"You asked me what's changed…. Back at school you asked me what's changed." I start as I see her eyes flicker but she stops herself before she catches my eyes, looking anywhere but me. "You Paige… Us. That's what's changed. I thought I was doing everything for the right reasons and now this is happening" I add as I try to find her eyes, try to get her to look up.

"Paige, please look at me…" and slowly, as I continue, she does. "You're everything. You're everything ok?! And I know I've made such a mess of things and my God, I've hurt you and I can't take that back or make it completely right right now, but you're what's changed Paige… I can't lose you." I finish and I realise she hasn't blinked since she caught my eye line.

I'm breathing heavy after rambling everything that I feel I need to say to her and yet I know it's nowhere near enough. Her eyes are searching mine and I can see her brain working over time. Fighting with herself and her emotions again and trying to work out what this all means. I can't just stand there any more.

"Paige…" I linger, stepping forward just a little, seeing her eyes fade away to some distant place before snapping back.

"Stop… please just stop saying my name" she whispers, defeated as she shivers and I feel her breath sweep across my face. Now so close, my shoes touch hers but I lean my body back enough to see her properly.

"I can't… I love you Paige and you know that" I say, a tremble coming back to my voice.

I watch her face as she questions me without uttering a word. A look as if to say '_then why? Why all the hurt and running away'_ but it's something I can't answer right now and she clearly reads that in my face too.

She fights back. It's what she does.

She raises her arms inside mine and pushes out, forcing my arms out and breaking the cage that I'd formed around her as her body crumbles. All within a second she's fighting back then breaking down and now I'm pushing back.

As soon as she forces my hands from the door and I see her break, I lift my hands straight to her shoulders and push her back into the door. She tries to fight but has nothing left as I force her back and push my body into hers. Feeling her legs buckle underneath her, I dip low and capture her lips. Crashing us together, feeling her fight under my touch. I kiss her hard without her reacting and it's what I deserve, but I know she needs this as much as me. As I pull back inches and move to kiss her again she fights once more.

"Don't! You don't get to do that!" she shouts, forcing me back with her hands now on my shoulders. The wince of pain on my face evident but this time she manages to ignore it. "You don't get to just come here and get what you want!" she shouts in my face but I'm not giving in, not now.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi All... thank you so much for your reviews :-) I'm glad ya'll like Emily fighting for Paige as that was the inital idea. This chapter was harder to right because I absolutely love Paige, but she's hurting and I imagine a conversation could go this direction... so without anymore rambling, Enjoy! Review, follow, let me know what you think is going to happen e.t.c and I shall post again soon :-)_

Chapter 3: Emilys POV:

_"You don't get to just come here and get what you want!" she shouts in my face but I'm not giving in, not now._

* * *

"It's not just what I want though is it?!" I shout back, pressing my hands back on her shoulders and pushing her back into the door. "It's what you want too, it's what you need!"

As soon as her back hits the door she tries to fight me off again even as I speak. Her hands push back on my shoulders but this time I pull them off. Taking her wrists in my hands and forcing them back into the door, pushing my body back into hers, seeing all the fight drain away.

She crumbles again. A few sobs breaking from her chest as she exhales. I release her wrists but only to slide my hands up into hers and link our fingers, pressing her hands into the door either side her head.

"I made a mistake. I love you Paige. I love you." I repeat, staring straight into her eyes as I squeeze her hands with mine. Begging her to hear me. Begging her to just ignore all the crazy things that are happening and once again believe the three words I know she's been doubting. I wait and watch, knowing I can't be the one to move anymore. She scans my face and looks deep into my eyes.

Suddenly with another sob, she quickly takes a shaky breath and closes the smallest distance left between us, crashing her lips hard into mine. Her hands squeeze back, fingernails digging painfully into my knuckles. I part my lips and kiss her back just as hard, finally feeling the world drop back into place. A world that's felt so foreign the past week without her by my side. She breathes into my mouth as she kisses hard, feeling her stomach shaking against mine with every intake of breath. I feel my tongue brush against her bottom lip as we connect again and again.

Gradually my hands stop pushing back and end up more holding her up as her legs start to weaken. My breathing is just as heavy as I realise I'm shaking too. As she exhales through her nose, her lips pressed deep into mine, my face cools with her breath and I realise I'm crying too. Both our tears merging together between our lips. I press my body into hers as we connect again before she pulls her head away.

She forces one hand out of my gasp and aims to punch me in the shoulder (ensuring to hit the unhurt side I might add). It starts as if it's meant to be hard but when she makes contact, it's barely there.

"I hate you" she sobs as she half hits me again. "I hate you! I hate that I love you so much." She adds, unclenching her fist and placing her palm flat against my collar bone. She looks me straight in the eye, trailing her fingers across and down to till she stops just above my heart, choking on sobs the entire time. "This hurts to damn much" she adds, pushing her hand against my chest just a little.

"I know baby," I whisper back, choking on my own tears as I lower our hands still against the door, resting mine on her waist and the other on her neck. "I know…" I whisper again as her hand still placed on my chest, clenches my shirt between her fingers, blinking one more heavy tear and letting it fall.

The look in her eyes shows enough hurt to last a lifetime. It's the most heart breaking ache but I have a feeling she can see the same in mine. I feel her pulse increase under my hand as I exhale and my breath sweeps over her wet, slightly bruised lips. With my other hand still at her side, I pull her hips gently into mine as I lean to the side and lightly kiss her neck. Needing to show more than the fraught passion of before, to slow this moment down and prove just how much she means to me.

Ghosting my lips across her neck, she shivers into me. One hand still grasping at my shirt, pressed between our bodies whilst the other now lifts to my neck. She pulls me closer, making my contact harder and I take the encouragement to part my lips and place open mouth kisses down her jaw and neck until she's forcing up under my touch. I pull back and she instantly collides her lips into mine, immediately sliding her tongue straight past my lips and brushing hard against mine. Both of us holding on to each other but the kiss isn't as frantic as before. It's slower and I hear moans instead of sobs.

It feels like nothing has changed… and yet everything has. Her trembles begin to dissapear but gradually I get a sinking feeling. The knowledge that this isn't going to last forever.

And at that moment, she suddenly kisses me hard, real hard just one last time. Moving me back with her mouth and hand placed on my chest before breaking apart and dropping herself back against the door, keeping me at arms length. I can feel her looking at me but I can't bring myself to open my eyes. Her hands leave my chest and neck, dropping to her side as mine fall from her. I slowly open my eyes and find her, slightly out of breath, staring straight at me.

She holds an expression I wasn't expecting. The remains of tears and anger only faintly seen, and in their place a look of recognition, a look of giving up is all I can see. After I don't know how long, I see her mouth start to move and hear her voice again.

"Emily. I've fought so so hard to keep you by my side. To be the one you wanted by _your_ side. And until… this." She pauses and motions between us and what just happened. "I honestly thought I just wasn't that person for you anymore".

"Paige of course you're that person" I interrupt as soon as she takes a breath.

"Please… just let me say this." She says, her eyes flicking between me and the floor once again. "I love you. You know I love you. I have for as long as I can remember. But it's like you don't let me love you. The last few months… I just. I mean do you really think this is how it should be between us?" she asks as her words sink in and I try to think of how I can reply. "Especially after everything you said last time. You told me I needed to walk away Emily, why on earth would you ever say anything like that if you still love me?"

"I just… please can we just forget all this ever happened. I made a mistake. I... I don't know how to explain it all." I stutter, not knowing what else to say and fighting the pure force inside of me that is screaming to tell her everything.

"Well try!" she says a little louder this time, her hurt starting to take over.

"It's not that simple!" I reply, my eyes locking with hers for a moment, silence filling the air until it's shattered, both of us physically jumping in surprise.

A car horn is suddenly screaming from outside. She instantly turns around and opens the front door as I follow her. She pulls it wide and steps outside before abruptly stopping and causing me to fall into the back of her as over her shoulder, I find the source of the noise.

Spencer's car is tucked tightly behind mine in Paiges driveway whilst she sits with her palm pressed flat on the horn. As they see me step up behind Paige, I watch Hanna slap Spencers hand off the wheel and the noise finally ends.

"Oh for Gods sake." I hear in an exasperated sigh from Paige as she turns back around to face me. "You know what, I've always been so glad that you have such close friends. It's like you were always safe, even when I couldn't be the one making you feel that way. But I've been piecing it together this last week and I finally understand. But it makes it hurt so much more." She pauses as she holds my gaze. "They know everything right? All of them. They know everything that you're hiding from me?!"

"Paige they're my best friends" I cut in without thinking, somehow believing that that could make it any better.

"And I'm supposed to be your girlfriend! The one that you're apparently in love with!" she begins to shout.

"You are but I jus…"

"But I'm not though am I" she interrupts, her voice a little lower. "I'm not your girlfriend anymore. You told me I had to walk away. You tried the selfish route, putting it on me and telling me I'm better off without you, knowing full well I would never ever leave you. But you left me!" she continues as it all pours from her, her voice rising until she's shouting again. "I told you Emily, I told you that night that if you walked away, if you walked out and left me. That that was you giving up, that was you telling me everything you couldn't put into words. And you did!"

She finishes, still facing me with her back to the driveway.

"I didn't know what else to do Paige!" I answer, my voice louder than I had intended. Over her shoulder I see the girls slowly getting out of the car and wish they would just stop, or go home.

I take a step closer to Paige, knowing she hasn't noticed and not wanting them to be a part of this. "I know I walked away, but it doesn't mean that I don't still feel the same way about you. I realise now that I handled it wrong, I made a huge mistake" I add, stepping closer once more as I reach out for her hands, seeing her still angry and hurt in front of me. She pulls her hands away, still standing just as close.

"You know I'd die for you right?" she suddenly asks and it hits me like lightning, those words actually coming from her mouth after everything that's happened. "I'd physically lay down my life for you, willingly, and yet you can't bring yourself to tell me a damn thing!" she starts as a whisper but then becomes louder.

I close my eyes heavily, taking a deep breath when I hear her words replay in my head again. Thinking of all the people I've lost and the worry I have every day that my circumstances could lead her to do exactly that… I shake my thoughts clear and take a breath.

"All you need to know is that you are the one I love. I know what I said to you last week but there has to be another way to do this…." I drift off in my reply before I feel her staring at me, her anger, hurt and confusion taking over so I know she's barely hearing me. "You're the one I want to be with Paige. You're everything to me" I half whisper, unable to say it stronger as I lock eyes with her and try to keep the memories from taking over.

"Did you say that to Alison and Maya too?" she suddenly asks, quiet and slow but definite. For a second I look at her as if just to check that it was actually her that said that. The voice sounded nothing like hers, the hurt and anger turning into a bitter, killing blow that tore straight through me.

"Enough!"

Paige spins around at the sound of the voice whilst I'm left standing, still dumbfounded that that could actually come from Paiges mouth. But now with her back to me, I can still see her face the second those words left her... She didn't even know what she was saying.

"That's enough Paige." I hear repeated, this time quieter as I look up. I register it as Spencer's voice, seeing her standing a few feet away with Aria and Hanna behind her.

Paige drops her head and turns back to me. She looks worse than when I got here. Not only is she heartbroken at everything I've done to her, but now she's said something just as bad. I can tell from her face that she doesn't even understand why or where it came from, yet as she steps past me and into the house, I can't bring myself to stop her walking away. Those words still ringing in my ears.

* * *

Paiges POV

Clicking the door shut, I turn slowly, lean my back into the door, gradually letting my knees bend and drop me to the floor. '_What the hell was that?_' I think as I can hear my own heart pulsing in my ears. That along with the insane words that just left my mouth. My anger and stomach-churning hurt, colliding into a sentence I've never even thought about let alone wanted to ask her. I rest my arms over my bent knees and drop my head to them, squeezing my eyes shut and hearing my head scream.

I can't even cry anymore. It's like this is it, this is rock bottom. It's bad enough when you lose someone by them choosing to walk away. But when you then say or do something so bad that it creates a ten foot high barrier between you, forcing them to stay away even if they wanted to come back… it's the end. Things couldn't officially get any worse.

Hearing the words come from Emily's mouth, the 'I love you's' and the 'you're everything's'… I truly thought she was taking back last week, taking back everything that was said and removing the pain I've felt without her. Touching and kissing it away, and for a moment or two it worked. Everything felt better, it always does with her.

But then my ever reliant brain kicked in as she pressed me into the door. Thinking about the distance that was no longer physically between us but that had been so evident for the past few months. I relished having her so close, but suddenly even that felt too much, accompanied with the knowledge that at any moment, she'll be gone again. That last dreaded sentence I said to her continues to spin around my head as I melt into the door and time no longer has meaning.

* * *

Emilys POV

"Em… common". I faintly hear and slowly register I'm already half way down Paiges drive having completely spaced out.

"No wait..!?" I say. Half an order, half a question as I process what's happening. I turn from Hanna and back around, looking at Paiges house standing so proud, wondering if she's stood the same. Or if she's how I'm imagining her to be on the other side of that dark chocolate door.

"Thought you didn't do waiting?" Spencer sarcastically throws my direction before Aria cuts her off and I block out everything else from their direction.

I can feel the warmth of Hannas arm place back around my waist and hear her talking to Aria and Spencer as my body refuses to move. I remember the words and looks and most importantly the kiss. And it all freezes me solid. I can't bring myself to leave and yet right now, I don't think I could walk back up there either.

"Just sit down babe" I hear again, something snapping me out of my daze as the door to my car opens and I'm practically dragged inside. Gently for sure but still blanking on how my body is moving without any orders from my head. My heart still racing, my head spinning, I hear the engine roar and watch the house slowly disappear.

...


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you again for reviewing! It makes me smile and motivates me to keep going. Infact, you have 'Anna' & 'Sazar' to thank for getting this up already as I read the comments and had a massive writting session, finishing this as well as the next chapter, which yes - includes the flashbacks and unknown information you guys want to know about. But this is only chapter four so let things simmer and for now, read on and enjoy. Review, favourite, follow if you can :-D_

* * *

Chp 4 - Emily POV:

Closing the car doors, hearing my car click locked and walking up the driveway, my body seems to finally be moving to my own conscious orders. My brain however only truly kicks back into action as I watch Hanna open my front door… with _my_ keys. Realising she just drove _my_ car.

"I think I'm losing it" I say under my breath as I follow her inside. She just smiles and giggles lightly, already understanding as she hands me back my keys.

I trudge my way to the sofa and wrap myself in the blanket. My head slowly clears and becomes completely blank. No longer feeling or thinking anything, I just sit there and look at the coffee table until I realise Hanna is staring at me from the other chair.

"Where are Spencer and Aria?" I ask, breaking the silence and assuring her I can actually talk, even if I seem like I've lost the ability to do anything with the stupid glazed look I know is currently on my face.

"God, you _have_ lost your mind" she laughs as I frown at her. "They've gone home. Spencer drove us to Pai…." She hesitates before skipping past saying her name. "Spence drove me and Aria remember? And you clearly couldn't drive yourself home so one of us had to. Spence gave me some stick but I think the look you threw at her helped" she says looking all proud.

"What look…? Oh wait, when she decided to be a sarcastic lil cow?" Hannas face drops for a second before she laughs.

"So that you remember" she giggles a little awkward, knowing I'm right.

"I'm remember everything that was said" I add quietly, going off in my head again.

"She was just upset for you and you know what she's like…" she tries to explain but knows I'm no longer thinking about Spencer. Especially considering the same sentence could be said about Paige.

"So yeah anyway…." Hanna starts, obviously trying to pull me back into the room and out of my head. "Spence and Aria wanted to come back here too but I said we'd be fine. You glared at Spencer before giving me your keys so that was that" she finishes as she stands and I wrack my brains trying to find any memory of that interaction, but find none. "Wanna drink?" she asks as nonchalant as ever.

I shake my head and watch her walk to the kitchen, sinking myself deeper into the sofa. Three sentences play on a loop in my head.

_'I'd die for you'_

_'You won't tell me a thing'_

_'Did you tell Alison and Maya that too?'_

Just replaying over and over. Each individually makes me feel physically sick, but it gradually becomes clear. Hearing them in that order, without any other distraction, it's so obvious that the first two led directly to the last…

I remember the look on her face as she heard those last words leave her mouth. I know that she didn't mean it in the way it sounded, the way spencer and no doubt both Aria and Hanna think she meant it. But there must be a little wonder in it, I mean, does she now think I still feel something for Ali or Maya? Or is she thinking something else entirely..?

There's so much I never talk about in regards to Alison and Maya, and why would I? They are so wrapped up in a past I don't want to think about, especially when I'm with Paige. But how is she supposed to know that's the reason? I've been so distant the past month, I've had to be. But if she's had questions about my feelings for her, I can suddenly see where it's all come from.

I slowly feel completely overwhelmed. How am I meant to find out what she's thinking when I don't even know if we are 'together' anymore. Last week I told her we couldn't be, today I told her we _needed_ to be… I sink myself further down into the sofa, my head spinning as I hear Hanna's heels clicking their way back from the kitchen.

"So… I decided you _need_ a drink!"

I slowly look up and can't help but giggle as I watch her stumble to the coffee table, carrying what I imagine to be all but about two of the bottles from my dad's liquor cabinet. It's probably a bad idea… but right now my head is so jumbled, I really don't have the strength to work it out.

"Yay!" Hanna yelps as I lean forward and help myself to whatever bottle is closest.

* * *

Paiges POV:

"Ow… crap!"

"…..Paige?"

I slowly register my surroundings as I open my eyes, look up and take in the darkness of my hallway. Bringing my hand to the back of my head, I grimace and rub the lump that feels like it's already starting to form.

"Paige… what the hell are you doing behind the door?"

"Just a sec…" I reply quietly, every bone and muscle in my body aching.

I realise I must have fallen asleep as push myself up from the floor and open the door to my parents. It's now pitch black outside and I wonder how long I've been asleep. Judging by the creak in my neck and ache in my back, I was there a while.

"Well…?" is all I hear in an exasperated, half hearted question as my parents walk past me and into the house.

"It's as good a place as any to sit and take a nap don't you think…" I reply as my sarcastic tone creeps in, just as it always does when I find my parents clearly not paying any attention.

"What is wrong with you… did you fall and hit your head or something?" my dad says, attempting to be funny as I follow them into the kitchen and he pokes his head around the kitchen cabinet, unloading the groceries.

"No. You slammed a door into it" I reply dryly. Catching his eye for a second as I pick up a piece of the newly brought fruit from the table. He frowns slightly, noticing for the first time that something's wrong. "I'm going to bed… thanks for dinner!" I say before he can ask anything, waving the apple in my hand as I go.

Closing my bedroom door behind me, I take a bite of the apple realising how hungry I am and collapse on my bed. I slowly lift my head and find it's nowhere near late enough to go to bed and know that that's going to raise questions in the morning. But for now, I couldn't care less. I roll onto my back and take another bite. Still only hearing those nine words on repeat as the sentence plays over and over. I see Emily's reaction replay as if she's standing in front of me again. The hurt that flashed across her face as she locked her eyes with mine. The sting I felt at my own words leaving my mouth as I gradually put together the pieces and I realise where that foreign sentence even came from...

Hearing her say how much I meant to her, I did think about how much Alison and Maya meant to her, but I wasn't truly asking her if she had also told them the same thing, because she probably did at the time. I just started to wonder if maybe Alison, Maya and I have more in common than I thought. I mean, our only connection is Emily. But Emilys connection to them is also so full of secrets. And now she's keeping secrets from me. She knows that I'm fine with her history with them. I was around to witness it. I know she loved both of them and I've never felt like that changes how she feels about me.

At the time, it all seemed to make sense and I think I was more asking if they have something to do with what she's been hiding...

We don't talk about them much; it's not exactly a topic either of us wants to bring up. However, when we do, there is always something that looks different. Wrong or out of place even. It's like she isn't just filled with heartbreak or grief, there's something lying under the surface that she's not telling me. A fear maybe.

And for the first time, I'm no longer ignoring it.

For the first time, I truly listen to her words today. Her telling me I'm everything to her, that she loves me and no matter what happened last week, it's still true. So maybe any doubts I started to have about us, were misplaced like I'd hoped… It's like the puzzle pieces are falling together and maybe now, I'm finally starting to think clearer.

The relief of hearing her say she still loves me, causes my brain to slowly shut down. Just replaying those words and promising myself I'd work the rest out in the morning. But before I let myself fall to sleep, I know one thing has to be done.

I pull my phone out of my back pocket, feeling the clench of my chest as I open to messages and begin writing words I never thought I'd find myself saying...

* * *

Emilys POV:

Two movies, two opened bottles and one huge pizza later, Hanna and I are sat on my couch watching the credits start to roll as the movie ends. After a few swigs of straight vodka, the burning in my throat sparked my brain into action and I immediately put the bottle back down.

"Well… that was utter crap" Hanna says, not having drunk much herself as she flicks the tv off before half the cast list has even appeared. I can't help but giggle as it was her choice to watch it in the first place.

"Yeah, but the pizza was good" I reply, the quiet time having clamed my thoughts enough to at least concentrate on the film and not Paige.

"Amen to that!" she answers, making me smile again as we stand and start to clear up.

Suddenly, we both stop in our tracks. I hear the faint noise of a text alert and know straight away it's my phone, something I was not expecting. And it's Paige… my heart starts to race again. After everything with -A, I specifically set Paiges text and ring alert so I'd never get that sinking feeling when she text. That text tone was the only good sound to ever come from my phone…. But I had no idea my phone was even here.

I look up to Hanna and she knows too. She knows that it's Paige and she suddenly drops my gaze and sinks back into the sofa. From the look on her face, I know there's something wrong. I sit back down too, following her actions as I sit across from her and watch as ten different emotions run across her face.

"Paige right?" she asks as I nod my head slowly. She sighs deep as she reaches around the side of the sofa and pulls out her bag. Reaching in and taking out my phone before placing it on the table in front of her. I watch as I see the little red light blinking, holding the sign of a text from the one person that hasn't text or called in over a week.

After an awkward silence starts to form, I move forward and reach for my phone. It's mine after all and I still don't see why Hanna is acting so strange. Even after what she heard Paige say… she's not usually that judgemental.

"Em, just wait a sec" she says softly before I reach it. I slowly drop back to my seat, seeing the serious expression on her face, watching as if the words she's about to say taste bitter in her mouth.

"What happened Emily? Between you and Paige?" she asks and it's totally not what I was expecting. She realises that as I raise my eyes to hers. "I mean… you said you had to sort stuff out with her and then suddenly you're not speaking. She's avoiding you at school but her eyes are on you every second. And you're the same." She finishes as my stomach churns a little.

"It's…. It's co"

"It's none of my business I know but I…" she interrupts before I cut in too.

"No. I was going to say it's complicated…. But I guess it's not really" I add. Realising that it's Hanna I'm talking too and if anyone is going to understand what's going on. It's her.

"It's just…. I know you said earlier that you didn't want to know. But I guess… I guess I kind of need to know what happened with you guys so that I can understand. So that I can help." she rambles.

"Hanna, what are you talking about?" I ask as she turns to face me.

"When you left school earlier… the text."

And then it hits me. I'd completely forgotten. I remember hearing that dreaded sound as Paige drove away, but I never looked. I threw them my phone and walked away, forgetting all about it. Until now. I quickly stand and grab my phone from the table. Sliding it open and immediately scrolling to the unknown number that I know text me earlier.

'_Poor sweet Emily, never can quite keep a girl happy._

_But I told you…. You break your promise._

_I break you._

_-A'_

My heart stops. It physically skips a beat before I force myself to breathe again and lower myself to sit back down.

"I can't believe this. How do they always know?!" I look to Hanna but only get a look of complete confusion.

"Em, you're going to have to go back a few steps to explain all this. Is that -A text about Paige? When did she get involved in all this? Does she know…?

"Ok, ok. I'll explain. I just…." I start, trying to think how to even begin explaining everything that has happened the past few weeks. "… just look at the text before" I say as I hand my phone over to her, still looking as confused as ever...

"Oh jheeze Emily. Why didn't you say anything…?" she lingers softly as she hands back my phone, sinking into the sofa looking at me.

"That's not all" I add as her eyes widen. "You know Paiges accident a couple of weeks back…?"

"No way" she half whispers, already pleading with me that she's thinking the wrong thing.

"Yeah… turns out. Not an accident".


	5. Chapter 5

Thank yoooooou again for reviewing guys. It means so much that you're enjoying this and gets me into writting so thanks and keep letting me know what y'all think... :-)

* * *

Chapter 5 - flashback to Paiges 'accident':

_"Girls! Get moving! You're our team captains, one being late and the other lounging at the end hardly sets the best example!" coach shouts across the pool as Emily looks up and stops watching Paige as she struts onto poolside._

_"Yes coach" Emily replies, quickly shooting Paige a smile before pushing off and getting back to her laps._

_Paige smiles back, eyes on Emily before quickly dodging to the side as someone rushes past her and disappears into the changing rooms. Thinking it strange as she had never seen them before, and couldn't even tell if it was a boy or a girl with the massive layers they were wearing... she thinks about doubling back and seeing who it was before she feels something dig straight into the sole of her bare foot. Paige looks down to find a loose screw spinning on the floor and bends to pick it up. Examining it, she can't think where it would have come from but suddenly hears the coach shouting again. She turns around to see one of the younger team members getting told off and laughs to herself before throwing the weirdly out of place screw to the benches making her way to her lane._

_Watching Emily swim was something that never got old. The way her tanned, glistening body moved through the water, it was effortless. She couldn't help but stand and stare as she fiddled with her goggles and heard coach in the distance, still shouting. She smiles as Emily reaches the side again and immediately stops, looking straight up at her and grinning back._

_ "Are you going to do any work today McCullers?" Emily asks, barely out of breath._

_ "I'd rather watch you…" she lingers in her reply, noticing Emilys eyebrows subconsciously raise. "but considering you were telling me only yesterday that my starts are, how did you put it… 'sucky'! I guess I'd better practice!" she smirks, listening to Emily laugh aloud, the grin pulling across her face._

_"Yeah, go on then. I'll give you marks out of ten" Emily answers, smirking as she watches Paige pull on her cap and goggles._

_"No way. Go on you, swim!"_

_"Oh common, don't be a spoil sport. You know I was only joking yesterday." Emily adds._

_"In that case, there's no need to watch me diving in is there! Go on, scoot!" she laughs as she points Emily down the pool, watching her begrudgingly pull her goggles back over her eyes and push off._

_See the truth was, she had let her starts go a little and she wanted to concentrate on getting it right, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to if Emily was stood in the lane next to her, watching her every move. Paige waits to see Emily surface and take a couple of strokes before stepping onto the block and bending down to start. She takes a deep breath, steadying herself and picturing a perfect entry, willing her muscles to spring off as soon as she gives them the signal…._

_The first thing Emily feels is the ripples of the water. _

_See, when you've swum all your life, you know your pool better than anything else. How the water feels different depending on what lane you swim in, how far away you are from the walls and how many people are in your lane. You can taste the slightest difference in chlorine levels and feel the waves every time someone dives in, even if you're half way down the pool. _

_That's where Emily is when she feels it. Feels the large ripple of water hit the lane divider and then the side of her body. A wave bigger than it should ever be. She feels it from behind too and immediately knows it's something from the deep end, only a lane or two away. And then it hits her… Paige._

_Just after Emily feels the waves, she hears the sounds. The crash of a body falling into water followed closely by the deafening bang of metal and concrete cracking against each other. The sounds are muffled to her as Emily is already moving back through the water. Not sure if she is right in what she thinks is happening, she quickly speeds towards the deep end at lightning pace. _

_Diving down, Emily sees Paige in the water as she hears a second splash. She looks up just enough to see the diving block hit the water, right above Paige. Emily kicks down quick to the bottom and grabs Paige around the waist, pushing up off the floor and bringing them both to the surface._

_"Paige… Paige are you alright?!" Emily frantically asks, getting her to the side and watching her girlfriend cough and splutter. _

_She immediately places Paige's hands on the deck of the pool, swimming behind her and wrapping her own arms around and under Paiges. Placing her hands on top of Paige's on the deck, steadying Paige and bending her knees beneath her so Paige was sitting safely on her, Emily creating both a seat and shield as Paige caught her breath._

_"Paige, just breathe slow. Tell me you're alright" she whispers into Paige's ear, pressing herself into her back, slowly registering a crowd forming around them._

_"Paige. Are you ok?" Coach suddenly asks, placing her own hand on top of Emily and Paige's as Paige releases one last cough._

_"Yeah… Yeah I'm ok" she mumbles slightly, her voice raspy and still out of breath._

_"Are you sure?" Emily asks quietly, still panicking but see's Paige nod her head alongside an affectionate squeeze of her hand._

_"How the hell did that happen?! Go and get Rob, now!" Coach begins shouting and ordering the other girls to go and get the school sports manager. "Paige, are you sure you're alright?" she asks as she turns back to Paige._

_ "Yeah, I'm fine." Paige answers, sounding slightly more convincing this time._

_ "Emily?" Coach asks_

_ "Yeah. She'll be fine. I've got her" Emily answers, watching coach nod and begin ushering the rest of the swimmers away._

_ "Paige, are you ok?" Emily asks again, still hovering tight behind her, pressing herself into Paige and ensure she was safe against the side of the pool._

_ "Yeah babe I'm ok. Good thing you took your lifesaving eh? I quite like my little seat" she tries to laugh before setting off another coughing fit._

_Emily smiles registering her position. She had instinctively moved into the position she was taught for keeping a swimmer safely against the side. Something she'd learned at her course only a few months previous. She waits for Paige's coughing fit to subside before releasing her arms, lowering her knees and slipping out from behind her. Emily moves to her side and peels the goggles and cap off Paige's head, staring and staring at her, trying to ensure she is ok. She is safe and she is ok…. she's ok…_

* * *

Emilys POV:

"Yeah… turns out. Not an the screws were removed from her block and although she had enough control to enter the water without hurting herself, the block could have easily hit her. It could have been so much worse_"_

"Oh my God" Hanna replies, thinking back to everything that I had told her about what happened that practice. "But... but how?" she asks.

"I don't know. I didn't even think about it. But then when Paige and I were changing, I got this…" I say, flicking back up through my inbox and finding the text.

_'I told you Emily, I own your heart. _

_End it with Paige or I'll end it for you. And next time, _

_it'll be more than a few loose screws._

_-A'_

"Oh my God" Hanna repeats, taking my phone and reading it again.

I sink back in my chair and wait. I watch as I see her read the texts that followed. She looks at me, wide eyed and turning pale before she looks back down to my phone and scrolls up. She goes back to just under four weeks ago and starts reading again…

Four weeks ago everything was perfect. -A had seemingly backed off, school and swimming were going great. But most importantly so were Paige and I. Everything was perfect.

Three weeks ago -A returned. The texts slowly started coming my way and only to me. Initially I checked with the other girls to see if they were getting them too, but as I got more, I kept them to myself, just like -A told me to. But I didn't do everything the texts told me, so -A decided to prove how serious they were… and Paige's 'accident' happened.

Leading to two weeks of insanity, trying my best to ignore the texts but also comply with them… taking me into my own little world and distancing myself from Paige. Finally, I realised I couldn't keep putting Paige in that danger. I couldn't explain it without making it unsafe for her but I knew I was hurting her by being so distant.

So it led to a week ago… to the worst conversation I've ever had.

"Emily, this has been going on for so long. Why didn't you tell us?" Hanna asks turning back to me, seemingly having read all the texts and pulling me out of my head.

"I couldn't. This is about me and Paige. Not you guys. After everything you've gone through with Caleb and the others have been through the mill too, it's enough already. I just didn't want to drag you into this. I thought I could handle it." I mumble, the guilt I already feel at keeping it from them, building as I see the worry in Hannas eyes.

"So what happened with Paige, does she know about all of this?" Hanna asks as I think back to the conversation that broke my heart.

* * *

Flashback - 1 week ago.

_"Em…" Paige lingers as she lays across her sofa, Emily wrapped between her arms but still so distant. It takes a second before Emily hums a response, barely paying attention. Paige takes a breath, wondering if she really wants to find out the answer to the only question that has been playing in her mind the past few weeks. But she knows she has too. "Emily… are you breaking up with me?" _

_Suddenly Emily tenses in Paige's arms. She definitely heard that. She snaps up out of Paiges hold and spins to face her, seeing the hurt and confusion in Paiges eyes._

_"No… no" Emily replies definite at first, but then quietens as she looks away from Paige._

_"Oh my God, you actually are!" Paige stutters with a heavy breath, eyes wide as she stands from the sofa and stares at Emily._

_"I'm not… I just." Emily mumbles, unable to raise her gaze. Tears burning her eyes as her nausea takes hold, she can't get another word to leave her lips. _

_Emily hears a sob from Paige before she see's her feet walk away. Paige stumbles her way to the kitchen, leaving Emily sat rock steady on the sofa, head still hung low. What Paige doesn't realise is her incredible sense of knowing exactly what Emily was thinking. How could Emily look at her when at the exact moment Paige asked, the exact same question was ringing around her own head._

_'Am I really about to break up with Paige…?'_

_And then Paige asked… and what could Emily say. There's nothing she wants to do less, and yet she knows it's what she has to do in order for them to have any future. -A needs to believe Paige is no longer in the picture. Emily needs to take time apart. Time apart to figure out what this -A wants and to stop them. To tell this -A that they own no part of her and that her heart will always belong to Paige. And then maybe, her and Paige will be ok again. _

_No matter what it took, Emily would make sure Paige was safe. And with that last thought in her mind, Emily takes a deep breath and follows the sounds of Paige's sobs…_

* * *

"So you followed her…and she just took it?" Hanna asks as I recall our conversation.

"No of course not." I reply, tears beginning to threaten falling. "I tried to get it to be her decision, saying I'm too much of a mess for her right now and she needed to walk away. We needed a break to sort things out. But she knew, she always does…" I pause, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to explain this without breaking down.

Without Paige, I need Hanna. I realise now that I need someone else and I have to explain this to her.

"She knows that we were ok, we were great infact. It's only recently that things have been so different and she wanted reasons. She wanted to know what was making me so distant and 'such a mess'. But I couldn't give her any. More than anything I wanted to explain to her what was happening, but how could I Han? -A has already proved that they can get to her and I was only a few meters away!" I continue as one tear betrays me and falls to my cheek. Hanna passes me a tissue, takes my hand, encouraging me to keep going.

"We ended up arguing, both in tears because I couldn't give her any reasons and she knew I was lying. She said that she'd been questioning my feelings for her but she'd never give up on me and if I walked away, if I turned around and left her, then that was me saying what I couldn't put into words. That was me saying that it was over and that I was leaving her." I explain, my voice cracking a little.

"You didn't, did you Em?" Hanna whispers, shocked that I could ever walk away from Paige as suddenly I break down. I collapse into Hanna, nodding my head in response as the tears and pain flow from me uncontrollably.

* * *

Paiges POV:

After texting Emily and waiting forever for a response I guess I didn't really expect... I must have fallen asleep. I open my eyes and stretch my arms and legs, aching slightly and shuffling as I notice I'm still in my clothes from school. I look to my bedside clock and realise I was out for a couple of hours and because I came to bed so early, it was still only 11.30pm.

I sigh as I roll onto my back, slowly feeling completely awake as my thoughts begin to spin around my head, knowing the likelihood of getting anymore sleep tonight, is very very low. It seems however, that sleep has helped.

My brain has slowly let those puzzles pieces fall into place as I picture the look on Emily's face every time Maya or Alison are mentioned. The look I now realise holds much more than grief. The look on her face when she turned and walked away from me. The way she'd been so suddenly distant after my accident at the pool and how for a while I thought it was because she somehow blamed herself….

And then it clicks. Somehow the final picture fits together and I think I have some understanding, or at least an insight into what might be happening.

She blames herself. For the accident and for hurting me by being so distant and then breaking us up. All of which I know either weren't her fault or she didn't really want to do. So why would she do them?  
The only answer I have is that she's trying to protect me. And when I think back and add in my accident, it makes sense. Maybe it wasn't an accident, maybe it was somehow deliberate. At the end of the day, start blocks don't just 'come loose' and all the screws dissapear.

Maybe that's what Emily blames herself for… Maybe she's trying to stop something else happening. Because even the past few weeks when she's been so distant, that has only been emotionally. Physically she's been right by my side, she was even walking me home and driving me to school….

She's trying to protect me. She tries to protect everyone.

But from what? From who...?


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey all - hope y'all are having a great holiday season! Apoligies for the late update, meant to post a while back but I've been editing chapters and switching things around... but here you go. An Ali flashback, a lil dream sequence and scheming Paige, what more could you want... ;-) I know, i know, Paily action right...? Well things'll be kicking off in the next couple of chapters so like/review and let me know to keep the chapters coming :-D_

* * *

Chapter 6 - Paige POV

Sitting on my floor, spending the entire night flicking through old photos, recalling old memories, researching online and making notes, I feel more like Spencer than I ever have. It's all I've ever seen Spencer do. She always looks like she's researching something, like she's trying to solve some never ending problem and now I feel like I am too.

Another idea came to mind last night. Did she try to protect Alison and Maya… Is that what the look on her face is about every time they're mentioned? Did she try to protect them like she's now trying to protect me?

I've always been big on trusting my instincts. And something's telling me I'm on the right track. Something or someone is trying to hurt Emily, and when they're not successful, they go after the people around her. It's maddening, and yet at the same time… piecing things together, it makes total sense.

"What the f.." I shout and manage to stop just in time as I rub my now throbbing shoulder and look up to see my dad, scowling at me as ever.

"Seriously?! We have all this furniture and you insist on sitting on the floor" he says as I roll my eyes before quickly collecting all the paper off my bedroom floor and get up.

"Ha, real funny" I reply, turning my back on him as I dump all the paper into my school bag and quickly shut the lid to my laptop.

"Are you ok Paige?" he slowly asks as I stop my actions and turn to face him.

I look directly into his eyes. And he holds my gaze. Something we never used to do, actually look at each other. Every look used to be so filled with ulterior motives. Whether it was pressure or accusations, anger or sadness, there was always something behind our looks. But now, I can just see a worried and confused dad. And it makes me smile a little.

"I will be dad. I'll be fine." I reply, smiling slightly as I relax a little, truly believing my words.

"Ok… if you're sure" he pauses. "Do you need a lift to school?" he asks as I turn my head and realise the time.

"Jheeze, I didn't realise it was time already… Er, no. I'm ok thank you"

"You're going to school though right?" he asks, still clearly wondering what's been going on with me.

"Yes, of course dad. I've just got to shower and get my stuff. I'll take my bike. Don't worry." I say, grabbing a towel and a change of clothes before I turn back. He smiles and nods his head before he shuts the door and I rush to get ready for school.

* * *

Emilys POV:

_'Paige! Paige please wake up. Don't leave me Paige!" I scream as I look down at her. _

_Her body lying limp over my outstretched legs. Blood stained clothes and concrete around us as I watch the colour draining from her skin._

_'But you left me' she slowly answers in the lowest of whispers._

_I choke out a sob as I hold her tight but before I can reply, the light in her eyes darkens. Her eyes slowly close and I know she's going._

_'Paige!" I scream again, shaking her body in mine, before I find myself shaking too…_

"Emily, Emily it's ok!" I suddenly hear piece through me as Hanna shakes me awake.

"Emily, you're alright. You were asleep that's all." Aria says as I slowly open my eyes and I see her appear next to Hanna.

"What….? What's going on?" I ask as I quickly lift myself to sit up on the couch, rubbing my eyes, hearing the words 'but you left me' playing over and over in my head.

Hanna explains that after I fell asleep last night, she rang the others and told them they had to come over first thing in the morning. They had got to mine about half an hour ago but decided I needed my sleep so they left me. Slowly my eyes focus properly and I notice Spencer in the background. Stood from the kitchen counter but shadowed behind Hanna and Aria. She's stood staring, her arms wrapped around herself and I know what she's thinking. She knows that if I can fall this hard, if I can break this easily, then so could she. She hesitantly holds my gaze before stepping forward.

"I'm so sorry Em. I didn't mean to be so cruel yesterday, I just thought…." She begins as she kneels down to my side.

"It's fine Spence." I interrupt, knowing she thought she was just protecting me from Paige. Never thinking for a second that it was Paige I was trying to protect.

"It's not Em…" she lingers as she looks down to the ground.

"Spencer common. We're all sorry, but we know now and it means we can help. It means we can do something and that means we need our detective Hastings on the case…" Aria speaks up and fills the silence.

"She's right." I say as I pull Spencer up and stand from the couch. I give her a weak smile before walking to the counter hoping to find something to drink. "But wait…" I turn back to the girls as I hear Arias words again. "What do you mean you all know now?"

"I told them Emily. I told them everything." Hanna states, looking worried and waiting for a reaction.

"Ok." I sigh and turn back, continuing my way to get a drink.

I can't do this on my own. I never could.

Half an hour later and I look fairly presentable. The girls stay downstairs and talk things over but I can't bear to do that anymore. Having had a quick shower and change, I realise we better leave otherwise adding being late to school as well as running out on my last class yesterday, won't make for a great record. _'Jesus, has it really only been a day…._' I think, remembering seeing Paige walk through school only yesterday afternoon and knowing that I had to talk to her, barely believing that that less than 24 hours ago.

"Hey, we better go" I say to the girls, running back down the stairs and grabbing my school bag from the side.

We all file out the door, Spencer and Aria heading towards one car and us trailing after.

"Hey Em, wait up… your phone" Hanna shouts, suddenly doubling back to the living room before turning and throwing me my phone.

"Thanks" I say as I quickly slide it into my back pocket and lock my front door.

As I sink into my passenger seat, once again Hanna driving my car, I remove my phone from my jeans and place it into my bag at my feet, completely missing the red light still blinking away from last night…

* * *

Paige POV:

The morning had flown by. Classes were ok and I managed to concentrate for the first time in over a week. Strangely the notion that I had to concentrate on something else if I was ever going to be able to have a fresh mind at lunch, kept me focused. I knew I had to use my lunch break to look over everything that I'd found last night and classes for once actually helped.

However, said lunch break suddenly became a problem. Walking through the hallways and heading into the courtyard, I spot her instantly. Sitting at one of the larger tables with the other three girls, all deep in conversation. I want more than anything to go and talk to her, to tell her I know what's going on… but that's the thing. At the moment I don't, I only think I know…

And the last words I said to her were awful. Her friends heard and the look on her face… it's something I can't face just yet.

So I scoot aside. Make my way around the edges of the courtyard and get across to the south building without being seen. Part of me feels a little disappointed that she didn't somehow know I was there, even if she was looking the other direction. But shaking it off, knowing I'm being ridiculous, I continue my way to the free study room to plug in my laptop and somehow try to confirm everything I think is happening.

* * *

Emilys POV:

"But I mean, what do we do? -As clearly only after Emily." Hanna says as we sit at a table in the courtyard.

"We know it goes in waves Han. They target one of us at a time until they can get all of us, it's why we used to think A was only one person"

"Yeah, well they sure proved us wrong…" Spencer answers remembering the Toby revalation as suddenly silence fills the table.

It's all they've talked about all morning. I've just sat and listened, or spaced out completely. I don't know what I can say when they're saying the exact same things I've been trying to figure out for a month. Thankfully, in the morning I had one lesson on my own to clear my head… but as soon as any -A worry subsides, Paige is straight to the front. Thinking about how she is, if she still thinks I'm holding something back from her to do with Ali and Maya, if she listened when I said I still want to be with her, if she still thinks something else is going on…

It's crazy. I never realised I could have so many questions without having a single answer. I feel like somethings in the back of my mind, something I've forgotton but I can't quite work out what it is.

"We just need to wait to see if Emily gets another text or if anything else happens. We can take it from there" I hear Spencer talk again but am suddenly distracted.

I spin around in my chair and scan the courtyard. Something tells me she's here, I know she is. I run my eyes through the crowd but can't find her. And then at the last second, it's her.

'_Paige'_ I think as I see the back of her disappear into the south building. It's her bag slung across her shoulder and her hair blowing behind her as she disappears, it's the smallest things that take my breath away.

"Emily, you will tell us right?" Aria suddenly snaps me out of my daze as she places her hand on my arm, not hearing her question at all.

"Em, are you ok?" Hanna asks as I slowly turn back around, knowing Paige wouldn't be coming back this way any time soon.

"Yeah, yeah I'm ok" I reply as I look back to the girls and settle back forwards again, hearing the conversation continue until Spencer tentatively turns to me.

"I was thinking… what was the promise Em? The one that -A said if you break, then they'd…"

"Break me?" I reply, raising my eyebrows as Hanna shuffles awkwardly next to me and they all wait for more as I start to explain. "You know how when this all started… we thought it had to be Ali because it was stuff we only ever told her?" I ask as they nod slowly. "It was a promise I made to Ali" I sigh as I sink into the metal courtyard chairs and think back to that summer...

Flashback:

_'…See that's why I love you Em, You're so thoughtful. The most generous person I know" Alison states looking straight into Emily's eyes, unfaltering in noticing how Emily's breathing hitched at her words. Alison lets the silence fill Emily's bedroom, waiting for the words she knows are coming and holding Emily's eyeline to try and make her say them._

_"I love you too Ali" Emily quietly replies, nervousness evident in her voice. _

_"Really?" Alison replies without hesitation. A playful note to her voice as a small, mischievous smile takes to her lips._

_Emily ducks her head a little, avoiding Alisons eyeline as she forces herself to hold her nerve, nodding her head slightly in reply._

_"More than anyone?" Alison asks directly but not making a deal out of it. Not like Emily thought she would. Emily takes courage from this as she lifts her gaze again._

_"More than anyone… forever." Emily smiles shyly as Alison grins back before nodding her head curtly and turning back to read her magazine. _

_Emily sits for a second and just watches. Watches and wonders why Alison isn't responding how she'd imagined. No anger like when she'd kissed her shoulder in the locker room. No shock or surprise, nothing like what Emily had thought. And then Alison suddenly turns back to her._

_"Forever… you promise?" Alison asks._

_But something sounds different. Something childlike and insecure to the tone of her voice. Alison holds Emily's gaze again as slowly her face becomes cold. Her eyes turning darker as she waits for Emily's reply._

_"Of course, I promise." Emily replies quickly, feeling Alison's demeanour change._

_And then suddenly, it's all forgotten. Alison turns back to her magazine, turns the page and begins to gossip about some celeb couple. It's never mentioned again…_

"I guess at the time it felt like I'd promised to love her forever, and only her" I state as the girls sit wide eyed and listen to me recount something I've never told anyone. I still can't believe I actually thought she could have loved me back…

"But who else could know that Emily…" Aria slowly asks, thankfully not lingering over the admission of love to a now dead friend.

"I don't know. But then we've been here before. We wondered who could have known about your dad and Meredith. About Hannas mum and the money, about Spencer and Melissa's boyfr…"

"Yes ok ok. I think we get the point" Spencer interrupts as I feel the blush run to my cheeks.

"Sorry" I grimace slightly and Hanna smirks.

"It's fine Em. We'll sort this out ok" Hanna says with a smile as she takes my hand.

"Course. And in the mean time, don't you think you should at least see if Paige is ok…?" Spencer asks and it takes me completely by surprise. "I just… I don't mean you have to tell her everything but at least make sure she doesn't think I'm out to kill her or something…" She adds as Aria and Hanna start to laugh.

And suddenly I remember, remember that forgotton thing in the back on my mind. The only reason Hanna and now both Aria and Spencer know about any of this is because they read the text from A. And the only reason I remembered I got a text from A is because Hanna had brought my phone to my house last night and to my surprise, we heard a text alert. The alert set specifically for Paige…

My heart is suddenly thumbing as I scramble for my bag and open the side, looking down and seeing that little red light still blinking away…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Emilys POV:

_'You once told me the reason Maya gave you space. I once told you I'd be your friend for the same reason. So if you need me to be the one to walk away, I will. For exactly that reason.'_

I stand, slowly but assured as I re-read the text it's taken me a whole night to even open. Hearing calls from the girls behind, they sound muffled as my head spins a little and I walk away. I know Paige wouldn't give up on us so easily, especially after everything that was said at her house yesterday, so what is she up to…?

"Em..! Was that…?" Hanna suddenly asks, jogging after me, grabbing my arm lightly and turning me around as I reach the edge of the courtyard.

"Um… No. No it wasn't, don't worry. I'll tell you if I get another." I mutter still looking at me phone now closed in my hand.

"Em, I'm always going to worry" she replies sweetly as she gives my arm a little squeeze before letting go.

I smile back but don't know how to reply, feeling guilty for leaving them all left out for so long. Thinking I could handle A on my own was such a mistake. I shake my head lightly as I walk down the halls and think about going to find Paige. Something just isn't right. I read the text again and slowly my feet come to a stop. In the middle of the hall it falls into place. The reason she's talking of… she cares. It's like she's secretly trying to tell me that she still cares even after all the bad things that have been said recently, and even though she's saying she's 'walking away'.

My heart flutters for a second. She's telling me in a round about way that she's still here, she still cares even after everything and needed me to know. But slowly my heart speeds up and starts to beat fast… She's talking in code and the only reason for that, is that she's working out that we can't speak openly.

She's realising that I need her to walk away for a reason different to what I told her... could she really be working this all out..?

* * *

Paiges POV:

Changing quickly after heading straight to swim at the end of school, I finally felt like I had a plan, like I knew how to move forward. I still feel guilty about the text I sent Emily last night but I'm nearly positive she would have understood. She know's I could never leave her, even if I wanted too. Swimming on my own helped, reassuring myself that she would have understood why I had to say I would walk away...

I rushed straight to swim at the end of class specifically so that I could avoid Emily. Seeing her would make my plan unravel for sure, so looking at my watch and finding it at 4.35pm, I knew I didn't have long wait.

Collecting my stuff I head to the back of the changing rooms, to the side of the coaches office where you can't really be seen but thankfully has a reflected view of our lockers via a mirror. And just ten minutes later, in walk the girls. My breath hitches a little as Emily falls in behind them, especially when I notice the forlorn look on her face. She looks around once she gets to our lockers and I assume she's looking for me. I smile just a little, knowing I'm right when she sighs deep and places her palm against my locker door. Coachs voice suddenly fills the changing room as she hurries the girls up. Emily snaps out of her daze and quickly gets ready. I turn my back until I hear her locker close and everyone files out soon after.

Ensuring it's quiet and hearing the splashes echoing around poolside, I know the rest of the team are getting in and starting their warm up. I take a deep breath and creep back around to our lockers, staring for a minute at the door of Emily's before I buck up the courage I need and reach for her padlock knowing I'll leave as soon as I'm done.

* * *

Emilys POV:

Hauling myself out the pool, I honestly don't think I've trained this bad for while. My rhythm felt off, my drills were rubbish and times way off my usual pace. I had a faint hope that Paige would have come to practice but when I realised that she either skipped or trained straight after school, I couldn't shake the sadness I felt pool in the bottom of my stomach. Everything just felt kind of pointless when my head was spinning with worry. A small part of me thinks maybe she really is walking away… that unsure, self-conscious part of me. But deep down I'm sure she's just as invested in us as ever and somehow that worries me more. If she is, it means I understand what she's saying in her text but she's up to something. And what, I just can't work out.

Showering begrudgingly, still mixed in my own thoughts, I briefly smile at the others trying not to let on that anything is wrong before I trudge back to my locker to get changed. Opening my padlock and locker door whilst unwrapping the towel from around myself and placing it on the bench, I'm still completely in my own head. Until I turn around that is. Pulling my locker door wide open to fully reveal what I could only partially see, I subconsciously hold my breath.

My phone now lays on the bottom instead of in my jacket pocket, and its propped up on a sheet of light purple paper. The familiar wave of nausea and fear passes through me as I think that -A has once again invaded my personal space and left something for me. I slowly release my breath and reach for the paper as I pick up and hold my phone in the other hand.

Opening the sheet carefully my eyes widen as I read the note.

_Em - no need to worry. It's not who you think._

_But somehow, to me that feels worse._

_Meet me, same place same time. And it'll prove that no matter what, we're meant to be._

_x Paige x_

Looking around to see if anyone is watching, I find the changing rooms empty. _'Same place, same time' _I read again and of course I know exactly what she's taking about. A little part of me tingles with that notion because yet again I understand her even when she's not saying the exact words. My eyes rest over her name and scan the lighthanded script that is so distinctively her handwriting. But as my eyes travel back to the top of the note, re-reading the first sentance, they snap to my phone in my other hand. Why does she tell me not to worry...? Who is she referring to and why is my phone now out and placed so precisely with the note?!

'Oh my gosh' leaves my mouth as my legs weaken beneath me and I sink to the bench, my hands starting to tremble.

* * *

Flashback.

_'You know...' Paige says as she snuggles into Emily's side, Emilys arm draped around her shoulders and hers around Emily's waist, pulling each other close as they lay on Paige's poolside chairs. 'If I could have planned us getting back together, I wouldn't have exactly chosen my back yard as the place'. She admits, feeling Emily chuckle lightly before moving._

'And where exactly would you have planned it?' Emily's asks with a small smile as she untangles herself from Paige a little and sits to her side, holding Paige's hand instead of her body.

'I er... I don't know'. Paige mumbles before they both giggle. 'I guess just somewhere better than this' Paige answers as she lifts her hand, the other still intwined with Emily's and motions around her yard. 'Just somewhere more special'.

'This is special Paige' Emily replies, raising her free hand to move a stray piece of Paige's damp hair back behind her ear. 'It wouldn't matter where we were, it's what's happening that I'll always remember, what I'll think back on'. Emily sweetly replies, looking down to their hands, her mind wondering before a smirk pulls across her face. 

_Emily's eyes slowly rise to find Paige quirking her eye brow and giving her a questioning look. 'Well I'm not going to be forgetting that kiss anytime soon' Emily says as she watches Paige blush._

'Or the swim' Paige mumbles, just loud enough for Emily to hear as she giggles and sees Paige smile, lifting her gaze back to Emily.

'Too right' Emily adds as she scoots into Paige's side and rests her head on Paige's shoulder as a comfortable silence falls between them.

'Well all I'm saying is that I didn't imagine... that if it ever did happen, that it would happen like this. I would've have made it better if I could' Emily hears Paige mumble as Paige rests her chin on the top of Emily's head.

'Paige, honestly. I wouldn't have had to tonight any other way.' Emily tries to assure the ever self conscious Paige. 

_Knowing that Paige will always believe she could have done more, done better... Emily feels her breathe deep at her words, as if trying to make herself believe them. Emily's sits up again, knowing she needs to make Paige understand how happy she is right now. She takes one of Paige's hands in her own and raises the other to her cheek, making Paige turn and face her slightly._

'If you asked me how and where I would have liked tonight to have happened, us making things right, I wouldn't change it.' Emily says as she watches Paige try to stop herself from looking away, her hand falling slowly from Paige's cheek and dragging along her arm down to hold both hands, watching goose bumps rise in its path.

'Really...?' Paige asks. Initially with sincerity but finally believing the words coming from the girl she adores, it becomes playful as she squeezes her hands. 'So no request to meet by random chance in Times Square or Central Park or under the Eiffel tower like in those cheesy movies you love so much?' Paige asks, watching the smile spread across Emily's face.

'Nope...' Emily lingers as she lets her eyes drag all over Paige's face. Memorising every indentation, ever scar and glimmer before she leans in and rests her forehead on Paige's, feeling Paige's breath hitch a little. 'I'd say, same time same place. Cos right now this is perfect'

A warmth spreads through Paige as a smile tugs across her checks and Emily feels Paige release her breath as it flows over her own skin. Emily slowly brings her lips to Paige's, pressing softly and silently as she feels Paige smile into her, a hand letting go and coming to rest of her cheek, Paige holding Emily close.

They slowly move apart and naturally mould into each other before Paige's feels a playful prod in her side.

'And you love my movie choices!' Emily feigns annoyance before giggling.

'Keep telling yourself that babe' Paige replies, another huge smile pulling across her face, feeling like she's in a movie of her own. 

_Emily, smiling just as wide, snuggles closer to Paige and feels her own heart flutter as Paige calls her babe. She drapes her leg over Paige's and knows that no movie will ever be able to recreate how she feels tonight._

* * *

Paige's POV:

Pacing up and down the poolside I look at my watch for what turns out to be the fourth time in as many minutes. I know when Emily got here that night... the night I think of so often, she got here at 8pm, having mentioned so after our late night swim. A quick _'time flies when you're having fun'_ remark shot between us... So looking at my watch and seeing 8.02pm, I wonder if Emily understood the note. _'Same time, same place'_. I was sure she'd remember, but maybe she doesn't. Maybe she still thinks I've chosen to walk away, to leave her like I thought she'd left me...

I feel my stomach churn and can hear my heart beat in my own head as my self-conscious, forever unconfident side takes over. I force myself to sit down and just take a breath. 'She's hardly late... just give her time' I think as I sit and hang my feet over the edge into the water, watching as the ripples spread across the surface.

* * *

Emily's POV:

'Just give her time.' I think as I stand, stood frozen at her side gate, a thousand questions and things I want to tell her spinning around my head. 'Just give her time to speak and say what she has to say. She deserves that... It'll be ok'. I think again but still can't get my feet to move.

After sitting in the car for at least ten minutes, I've now been standing at her side gate for at least five. So many questions are running through my head and I have so much I want to tell her, that I feel she needs to know. But above all that, I just want to know what she has to say, why she's leaving me secret notes and codes... can I really be right in thinking she's worked this all out?

I check the time on my phone and realise my plan to be early or at least arrive on time has now completely failed and I'm five minutes later than intended, five minutes later than I was last time. That spurs me to get my feet moving, not wanting Paige to think I didn't understand her message or that I'm just not coming. I take a deep breath, stretch up and reach over, unlatching the gate and slowly pushing it open as I walk through.

My eyes hit the water immediately and follow the ripples in reverse, slowly bringing me to the figure of Paige, arms wrapped around herself, sitting glowing in the blue light as she dangles her feet in the water.

I stop for a second, wanting to just remember how she looks and somehow, I reminise at feeling so similar to that night months back. The night we made things right. I was so nervous about what to say, what she'd say. And yet something told me it would be ok, it would work out. And it's that same feeling I latch onto as I take a step and immediately see Paige's head snap up, her eyes instantly locking with mine.

* * *

Paige's POV:

I shuffle again as I fidget and adjust my sleeves, feeling her gaze on me with no words spoken. As I stood and watched her walk over, it felt like an eternity. But sitting here on the loungers and knowing she wants to speak, but is stopping herself, it feels like time has stopped completely.

I'm sure she feels just as uncomfortable and apprehensive as I do but as we sat, we both made sure to leave a little distance between ourselves. Wanting to be closer but both clearly unsure how the other would react. So much has happened in such a short time. And now I don't know where to start. What do I say? Everything I've found out in the past 24 hours had overshadowed the pain I felt at losing her, at her pulling away. But as I sat waiting for her and then watching her walk over. That pain and heartache returned, I can't look at her properly. I feel like maybe I should be angry, tell her it isn't ok that she's tried to block me out, that she walked away. But as I finally lift my gaze to her, there's only one admission I could even think of saying.

"I'm sorry" I say as her eyes snap to mine. She searches my face and eyes as if for clarification. There's too many things I feel I need to apologise for so my mouth picks the simplest and hopes she'll buy it. "For the text… you know I'd never walk away from you" I add, seeing a small smile pull against the edge of her lips.

Her face softens as she exhales in what looks like a wave of relief. Not the reaction I was expecting. Her hand flinches a little, as if she wants to reach for me but she stops herself once again, looking back up at me and trying to hold my eye line. She knows there's something else and she's right. Everything I wanted to question her about has gone and the only image in my head is how she looked at me after the last time we spoke.

"And… for what I said about Alison and Maya, I'm so sorry Emily" I admit as I feel the guilt bubble inside of me once again.

"It's ok" she replies immediately and even though her voice is a little cracked and low having been the first thing she's said after holding herself back, just hearing even a little bit of her voice again makes my nerves flutter.

"It's really not." I answer, shaking my head at my own naivety and stupidity and really believing things could have been so black and white. "I've never thought anything like that, everything just got jumbled and…"

"I said it's ok Paige. I know you never meant it the way it sounded." Emily interrupts and my eyes fix on hers and refuse to look away.

She attempts to send a small smile my way and it cuts my train of thought. I feel like I don't deserve it. After everything she's been going though, she's the one smiling at me and somehow I feel even worse.

"Paige, don't do that" she says quietly as I keep my eyes low, scrunching my hands in my lap.

A warmth suddenly spreads through me as she reaches her hand forward and places it on top of mine, stilling my nervous action.

"Don't…" she repeats softly.

"Don't what?" I ask, barely audible as I keep my hands stiff and still. Still refusing myself the pleasure of accepting her touch. I slowly raise my eyes to hers as she gives my hand a squeeze before replying.

"Don't say sorry for things that aren't your fault." She pauses, looking straight though me and burning my soul.

"Paige… when we first became friends, when I came back to the swim team…" she continues as my fingers subconsciously link with hers, hearing the soft, loving tone to her voice. "…You used to apologise for so many things that weren't your fault. Don't do that again. Because none of this has been fault Paige. It's been mine"

She blinks heavily as she finishes and it's now her gaze locked onto our hands and refusing to look back up. The butterflies in my stomach grew tenfold hearing her talk about a time that feels so long ago, yet somehow so recent. I sigh a little, remembering how awful I used to feel, always racked with the need to apologise or impress… never feeling happy with who I was. And I know that that all changed when Emily came along.

As I search her face with my eyes, a distance still between us but our hands entwined on my lap, she looks so lost. Smaller somehow. I can't stand it and my body is moving before I can tell it too. I shuffle closer, her gaze snapping straight to watch my movements as I lace one of our hands together and place the other just above her knee.

"Em, it's not your fault. I understand" I say as her hand shakes a little in mine. I finally see the form of a truly broken Emily sitting infront of me. Something she's clearly been trying so hard to hide.

"I'm not sure you do Paige" she breathes out sadly with a little shake of her head as she attempts to look away again.

"I do Em" I repeat as I lift my hand quickly from her knee to her chin and raise her gaze back to me.

She holds her breath and I watch as she tries to find acknowledgment that I know what I'm saying. Our faces now only inches apart, her eyes hold mine and it feels like she's finally hearing me, finally letting herself believe that she can let me in to this whole different world she's having to cope with. She's nearly there, nearly letting go but the last little bit of uncertainty is still present as she holds my gaze as if begging me to say it's true.

"I know Emily, I understand. And I'm here" I say, my voice lowering as I watch her blink heavily, exhaling in pure relief as her fingers squeeze around mine tight. She leans forward and brings her forehead to lean on mine. "I'm here Em and I'm not going anywhere" I whisper as I feel her take a deep breath, finally breathing again.


	8. Chapter 8

_HAPPY PLL DAY! PLL is finally back tonight so to celebrate here's another chapter. One I think alot of you have been waiting for! _

_It was hard to find a place to end this chapter as the next is also a big section so I aim not to leave it too long before I update. Also let me clarify now that we're getting onto A infiltrating Paige and Emilys lives... Just for ease, I'm leaving it that Mona was never revealed to be A. For the show it's obviously necessary but when looking specifically at Paily, I feel it's adds something to not know who A is, whether it's a team, someone they know or whether it's Alison herself…_

_So.. place your bets, review e.t.c and hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for your previous comments, I love hearing what you like and where you think it's going to go, it really does keep me writing so thanks! :-)_

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Chapter 8 - Emilys POV:

My eyes closed, forehead on hers… "_I'm here Em and I'm not going anywhere"_ she whispers again and the relief of finally being able to let down that barrier washes over me. A wall I never wanted to have with her, especially her. A realisation that maybe she does understand and even now she hasn't left me. And to be honest, I know she's not going to.

She's here, she's so close and yet that's now too far away.

My free hand runs up her arm to her neck and just hold her close. I can't gather all the emotions running under my skin. The feeling of having her close again. The sound of the slight husk to her voice as she assures me she understands. The knowledge that she's finally here again and the heat of her skin on mine, it's all too much as I struggle with the urge to either break down in tears or pull her close and show her how much I need her.

I feel her fingers laced through mine and I lift my head from hers just a little, needing to look into her eyes. But as soon as I do, the look of love, of reassurance and safety, the look of want hits me full on and my eyes are immediately drawn to her lips. It's a slow and burning passion that's been simmering inside since we've been apart and it slowly rises as she wets her lips slightly with her tongue, fully aware that's where I'm looking.

I pause. It's not that I don't want to kiss her. To lean in and make up for everything I've done. For how distant I was, for how I pushed her away and made her feel so alone. I want to more than anything.

But I can't move.

I can't get myself to move closer and it's now me that's feeling like I don't deserve too. A notion I know she feels way too often. She's begging me to let her in, let her into a world full of fear and danger. The strength that pores through her makes me feel so inadequate, to be the one that she'd jump for.

But when I take one last look into her eyes and find only her long eyelashes shimmering back with her gaze fixed solely on my mouth, it's enough reassurance that neither of us need to feel this way, we've both suffered enough and now we're finally back on the same page. I breathe deep and my lips are pressing into hers before I can process a conscious thought to do so.

Within an instant, I feel like I've been pieced back together. Her lips on mine. It's makes everything else feel insignificant and it all fades away. The fear and stress, the heartache and worry. The gut wrenching hurt of being apart is immediately forgotten as her lips fit perfectly with mine. Connecting just the once at first, holding steady as I feel her exhale and hold me close with her free hand on my shoulder. But her fingers in mine squeeze gently and it brings an immediate memory to the forefront of my mind.

The vulnerability I know we're both feeling, the relief and excitement of finally having the other close again as our hands hold tight… It takes me straight to the time we first kissed in my bedroom. On the window seat as Paige's world began to unravel. Except now, it feels like maybe our individual lives that were previously lead in parallel, may have suddenly and very much indefinitely, become one.

Her hand unlinks itself from mine as I'm suddenly brought back to reality. Brought back to her hands running over my shoulders to the back of my neck as they gently run into my hair. Shivers cascade down my spine and I can't stop the slight moan that escapes my mouth even though we haven't even parted from one little touch of our lips. She smiles against me as she holds me close before pulling away just slightly. But before I can even miss the touch, her lips are back again. Pressing slightly harder into mine as my hand runs from her neck to her cheek. The other already gripping at her waist, her shirt scrunched lightly between my fingers, my whole body tingling.

As I pull back just slightly, I dip my head and catch her bottom lip fully between mine. She parts her lips, appreciating the escalation as I nip at her lip and feel her fingers tangle in my hair. She hums against me, sending jolts under my skin as we hold each other closer before parting. Foreheads pressed together, fingers holding tight onto the other as our breath mingles and seeps between us. Nothing taken too far, but far more of a connection then either of us have felt in weeks and it's enough to feel my heart beating hard in my chest.

"God I missed you" she husks, slightly out of breath as her hold in my hair lightens and her hands link at the back of my neck.

My eyes still closed, I feel my body melt, crumble slightly as she vocalises the only words running around my head. My nose brushing against hers in response. Unable to find my voice. My love for her is so unparalleled to anything I've ever felt and it's something so unique and indescribable that it continuously leaves me lost for words.

I breathe her in for a minute but slowly the darker thoughts return. The reasons she's felt the hurt of missing me and why I was forced to miss her…

'Just give it a second. Only a few more" she suddenly whispers, he voice barely audible as it breaks into my thoughts.

The silence between us shows my initial confusion but almost immediately I understand. I fall back into that uncanny ability we've always had at knowing what the other means and her unrelinquishing ability to know what I'm thinking.

I nod my head against hers as I relinquish the hold I still have of her shirt and cheek and wrap my arms around her sides, pulling her into my body, agreeing to savour this moment. Nudging back the worries, questions and hurt that came back to my mind and just be here with her. She buries her head into my neck and I feel her smile.

For her, I'd forget about all of it and stay this way forever.

* * *

Paiges POV:

Now sitting together, the lower half of our legs tangled and no gap to be found between our sides, my arm is linked through hers, leading to both our hands resting on her outstretched legs. Her head resting on my shoulder, our fingers dance together, linking and sliding against each others, tickling my skin. I watch her slender fingers in mine and hear her lightly giggle from time to time and relish having her so close. Moments like this could never be replaced.

Gradually, as our hands still, I hear her sigh lightly and I know that although we're both trying to keep this feeling alive, we're going to have to face up to it all. Talk about what's not being said and fill in the blanks. But somehow, with her hair tickling my neck and her body pressed eagerly into my side, I'm no longer that worried. The outcome of whatever we say doesn't affect me because I know it's going to be ok. We're going to be ok.

"So I know relationship 101 is to never, ever go through your girlfriends phone…." I start and pause as it takes a second or two for her to lift her head and look at me, realising what I'm about to explain. "But I had to Em"

She looks at me and there's something in her eyes that tells me she knew instantly why I checked her phone.

"I knew I was onto something. I knew you were in trouble and that somehow you felt it affects me but I couldn't think what it could be. Not until I thought about how you act every time you get a text…" I pause as her gaze lowers.

She looks sad. Maybe even a little uncomfortable which I know is because I'm talking about things that she tried to keep from me, and yet I still know. It's like I'm inadvertently saying she should have told me but I don't mean it that way at all.

"Em, I was just worried. It was all I could think of doing…"

"It's fine. Honestly" she interrupts, looking back to me and showing me she doesn't feel like I'm trying to prove her wrong.

"I… I went all Spencer Hastings actually" I add, trying to somehow lighten a predictably dark subject.

"…What?" she asks with a little smirk and quirk to her eyebrow.

I'm glad to see her smile, even just a little but slowly it dawns on me that I now have to explain everything I think I've found out. Things I know she doesn't want to talk about or doesn't want even acknowledged. But how else can I explain that I truly do understand and I'm still never going to leave her, no matter what consequences that holds...

"All I've ever known Spencer to do is study. Well, either that or throw some expertly phrased hate my way" I trail off as Emily squeezes my hands still in hers.

"Paige, she doesn't hate you it's just…"

"No, no I didn't mean to even bring her up." I quickly try to recover, not wanting her to feel bad or honestly, to even talk about Spencer. "I just mean, I researched. Like stayed up all night just trying to work out what was going on." I pause again as she shifts back against the seat a little.

Our legs still tangled, hands still holding close, eyes locked, I know I have to explain it all…

"I mean, I started to think about those stupid texts that interrupt everything and how you react to them and it made me realise something else. How you react when Alison or Maya are mentioned, something more than I think you really want anyone to notice. More than grief or love or anything expected. I just thought that maybe they were connected." I stop, realising how far fetched this all sounds and thankful that after seeing her phone I do know that I'm right, even though I'm still unsure how I got to this point.

"Sometimes it's annoying how well you know me" Emily suddenly says quietly, breaking my thoughts, with a smile on her face. I smile a little, knowing it's true.

"It sounds ridiculous but I knew I was on to something. I knew you were scared of something and honestly, after the way Spencer threatened me at the lockers months ago, I knew she was scared of something too. All of you at one point or another, look so fearful... and I haven't missed the SOS messages that get sent between you guys…"

She takes a deep breath, looking guilty somehow and I smile again before I continue. Trying to show her that it's ok.

"But none of it truly added up. I knew the only proof I could really get was to see what the texts were that freak you out so much. I just felt like they were the key and considering the last thing I had said to you… I couldn't even face you let alone come up and ask to see your phone".

"So, what… what did you read exactly?" she asks. No hint of accusation in her voice at the fact I went through her phone, just a need to clarify exactly what I found.

"Your blocked number texts." I admit, a wave of something rolls over in my stomach. Whether it's guilt, fear or anger that someone sends them to Emily I'm not sure, but she continues to search my eyes for answers. "From -A" I answer and she looks away.

A look of acceptance on her face but also an immense pain. It's like she's stuck in between being happy I know and being fearful that I know. I try to bring her back to me as I move our hands in my lap and she looks up.

"Emily… are they from Alison?" I ask tentatively as she pauses.

"We…. We don't know"

"What do you mean we?" I reply immediately as she sinks a little, her strength giving way even in her posture as she opens up.

"The girls, all of us. The way you say you've seen us all look scared… it's not just me that get's the texts. It's all four of us. Ever since Alison's funeral."

"Since Alison's funeral!?" I repeat in complete shock. I thought I had worked it out. Thought someone was threatening Emily, either sickeningly it was Alison or it was someone pretending to be her. But to think that they all get these and have been for years… my heart starts to race a little.

"Since that very day. Since we all became friends again." She reiterates as I drop back into the chair and hold her gaze, stunned.

* * *

Emilys POV:

We sit for a solid, silent five minutes, letting Paige realise it's not just her I've kept this from. This has been going on for much longer than us, and it's not just to me. Watching her expressions change as she processes it all, feeling her hands squeeze mine tighter from time to time… it takes me back to the first time the girls and I all admitted to each other that we were all getting the texts. Knowing that something bigger has a holdover you and the people you love…

When she smiles a little and holds my gaze, I know she's processes and understand everything and I continue to explain. Telling her what things -A has done and why we're all so scared, about the threats that have plagued us for years and how sorry I am that I kept it from her.

"Emily… my god don't say that. I get it. Honestly I do. I thought I'd worked it out. Someone threatening you I had understood, maybe even it somehow being Alison and knowing that you were trying to protect me. But knowing it's been going on for so long… I mean. I'm so sorry Emily." She says as she sits up, moving a little closer, her eyes full of concern, love and worry.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Paige. I do, I just… I didn't want you to have to be a part of it but…"

"But it seems this -A has other plans huh?" she interrupts as I question her with my eyes. "Em, I read the texts. The 'I own you… break up with her' texts. It's what made it all click into place."

She explains as I shake my head a little, it's going to take some getting used to, her knowing everything. "That part strangely made me feel better." She adds.

"Better… how could you feel better about being involved in all this?!" I ask, completely shocked as she laughs a little. I hear her lightly sigh before she smiles sweet and looks straight at me, full of love and knowing…

"It meant you didn't really walk away."

* * *

Paiges POV:

Instantly I'm enveloped in the tightest, warmest hug as Emily throws her arms around me and pulls me in close.

"I'd never, ever walk away from you Paige" She whispers into my neck as I hear the crack in her voice. Pulling her back and looking into her eyes, I see them start to water.

"Hey… no crying. It's ok. You're here, I'm here. It's all that matters right now" I say, bringing my hand to her cheek, my thumb stroking her skin as she smiles a little. Truly feeling that no matter the immensity of everything I now know, just having her close again is all I care about right now.

"Can I ask you something?" she asks as I nod. "Can we, for at least the next hour or so, just forget about everything that's happened the last month?"

"Sounds like a plan" I reply with a smile and stand.

I reach my hand down to her.

"What, do you want to dance now or something?" Emily giggles, seeing the cheeky grin I'm sure is plastered across my face and not quite knowing what's going on.

"Oi you, you know you'd love to dance with me. But you know that I'm not that cheesy!" I pull her up and nudge her a little as she giggles.

I pull her close and take a couple of steps back, keeping my eyes locked with hers, loving the smile finally pulling across her face as she wraps one hand around my waist, loving her pulling me closer.

"And for that… you shall pay" I smirk as I tug on her hand and attempt to unwrap her from me, stepping to the edge of the pool.

"Uh huh, no way!" Em laughs, knowing her fate but instead of letting go like I thought, she pulls me in even tighter as she stars to wobble on the edge….

Even under the water, I'm laughing. I should have known that would never work. When I do surface, I instantly here her laughing too and open my eyes to find her still close and register her arm still around my waist, the other slowly joining it.

"Seriously…?" she smirks at my rubbish attempt to push her in the pool and I just laugh harder.

"Well, worth a shot. Told you I'm not cheesy" I smirk back as I link my arms around her neck.

"Sorry babe, you kind of are" she replies and I know she has a point. Trying to knock your girlfriend in the pool may not be cheesy, but I'm fully aware that when I'm with her, most of the crap that comes out my mouth is beyond sickly.

She smiles at me just knowing she's right and not even bothering to argue. Her hands resting on my lower back and eyes burning into mine as her smile lowers a little. The atmosphere slowly changing as I raise my hand and run my fingers through her wet hair, removing strands that had stuck to her cheek. At the gesture she looks to my mouth and I watch as her eyes physically darken. She leans in and the second her already wet lips make contact with mine, the world has never felt more in sync.

The kisses on the poolside chairs were intense but mostly gentle, passionate and more from the ache of finally having the other close again. This kiss… this kiss starts heavy as she captures my bottom lip and instantly moves her body into mine. I kiss her back hard and feel her hum against me. She playfully runs her tongue between my lips but doesn't go any further, instead dragging her teeth along my bottom lip and starts to walk me backwards.

The feeling of the water all around us, just below our shoulders and causing our clothes to stick tight on our skin. I can feel the warmth of Emily's hands on my back and I might as well not be wearing a shirt at the intensity of the contact, her body still moving me backwards.

Feeling the edge of the pool slowly press against my back, she pushes her entire body into mine, pinning us to the wall, my back arching into her as her fingernails drag up and down the arch of my spine. My hands run deep into her hair and I can no longer take the playful way she's nipping and sucking at my lips. Predicting her next move... as she goes to run her tongue once again along my bottom lip, I instead meet hers with mine. Our tongues meeting in the middle before she invites entrance, lulling my tongue into her mouth as she presses herself even further into me, my head completely cloudy, not seeing, hearing, feeling anything but her.

* * *

Emilys POV:

Paige's fingers continue to bury deep in my hair, pulling from time to time and arching her body into mine. No gaps could be found between us as I drop my hand a little lower on her back, peel her shirt from her skin and wrap my arm around and underneath her shirt. Having her this close again it feels like nothing changed at all, like nothing ever happened and I refuse to let myself think of anything else but her. Then suddenly…

"What was that!?" I snap back from her and look around. "Paige, Paige did you hear something?" I ask panicked as I continue to search her back yard, positive I heard something.

"Em… Emily you're ok." she says as she drops one hand from my neck and turns me back to look at her. "I didn't hear anything… you're safe here ok?" she tries to reassure but I'm still anxious.

I drag my eyes from hers and look around the pool again. Trying to find whatever I'm positive just made a noise. I know her parents aren't home or even in the country and no-one knows I'm here...

"Emily… come back to me. You're safe here…"

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P.S. Anyone else seen Lindseys new movie Love Me? She's amazing! :-)


	9. Chapter 9

_Next chp y'll. Hope you still want to read more... please keep reviewing and let me know. Special thanks to cici, mindfullofstroies, nae10 & jes angell who have all commented more than once and it makes me smile! This won't be going on for toooo much longer, but another shorter fic and a couple of one shots are in the making :-) so let me know if you think I should write more, it's good to know!... _

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Chapter 9 - Emily's POV:

_"Emily… come back to me. You're safe here…"_ she says so sweetly and I can't help but melt back into her.

"I love you"

It's all I can verbalise. It's definitely not the first time she's heard me say it, but it may as well be with how her expression changes.

Almost immediately, her lips are back on mine and she kisses me hard. _Her_ arms this time wrap around my waist and I'm mesmerised by the way she can shut off every sense regarding anything external and yet heighten all of my senses with her. Feeling her hands against my back, her lips against mine and our bodies so close, my whole world revolves around her again as a moan escapes my mouth. Still pushing us back tight into the wall, I raise my knee, grazing it up the outside of her as her hand immediately drops from my back and wraps around my thigh. Lifting my knee just a little higher against her hip, her nails dig into the back of my thigh. My lips already feel bruised as we continue to search and familiarise ourselves with each others' mouths, our entire body's crushed together.

Struggling, needing to breathe I pull back unwantingly and feel her lips immediately on my neck. Both of our chests rising and falling as she switches between placing hard and light kisses along my neck and up my jaw. I pull her close, my head falling back and arms bent around her neck, the water rippling around us. Her nails once again dig into my thigh as she holds me close and pulls me up into her body causing pressure and moans from both of us. She pulls her lips away just slightly as her other hand runs up my side. We connect again and I feel her fingertips running over my neck, her hand leaving the water and tracing shapes over the marks she no doubt just formed. I hear her breath hitch and not really registering it, I continue my lean in and bring my lips back to hers. But she pulls back straight away.

"Em, are you alright?!" she suddenly asks, her voice much louder than I'm sure usual. My eyes still closed, I nod, barely able to wonder why on earth she'd ask me that, and sound so worried with it… as I dip my head and try to kiss her again. Lust filled, chest heaving and heart pounding.

"Emily I'm serious. What's wrong, are you ok?"

Not finding any contact and suddenly hearing the panic in her voice, I pull back and slowly open my eyes.

Her hand drops my thigh and runs over my neck, just like it had a second ago, and then joins the other running through my hair. But it's different, it's not tentative or soothing, grabbing or teasing, it's different…

"Paige… what, of course I'm ok" I eventually murmur, moving in her hands as they trail me.

I can just about process her form in front of me, my head still feeling cloudy. But as my vision clears, I can not only hear the panic, but see it in her face. I can still feel her hands tracing or more like checking my skin and I force myself to focus.

"Paige, what's going…" I suddenly stop, seeing the pure panic on her face as her eyes are fixed over my shoulder.

As I'm about to follow her gaze, something else catches my eye. One of her hands she just had running through my hair. It's now lightly placed on my shoulder and I catch it in my periphery… her hand is bright red.

"What… Paige what's…" I stutter, looking to her hand properly as I see it covered in watery red liquid and suddenly the panic I heard in her voice is racing through me, sure that she's hurt somehow.

As I turn back to look at her, I feel her grasp on my neck and shoulder tighten a little and I realise she's stood frozen solid, she hasn't moved since I tried to tell her I was ok. Her gaze still fixed over my shoulder as her face drains of colour.

Her pulling away to me about to turn and follow her gaze has properly happened in the space of just one second and yet as I turn, it feel like time slows even further.

I drop my hand from her as I turn around and instantly see what she sees. As soon as I turn, they run. A black hooded figure on the other side, walking slowly but with purpose from the deep end of the pool to the shallow before breaking into a sprint the second I turn around.

My heart stops.

Stops just like it always does before it suddenly begins to race.

And yet again, just like all the other times all I could see is a person in black. No face, no skin tone, no eye colour. Not even a flicker of whether they're male or female, taller than me or shorter than me… nothing.

As my heart starts to race in my chest, again just seconds lapsed in real time, I see whoever it is disappear completely and feel Paiges grasp on me tighten further.

It takes a second but I quickly turn back to her. Just before I do I notice the entire pool reddening in colour, starting at the deep end having worked it's way to us, only a small section still the normal crystal blue.

"Paige common!" I say as soon as I turn back to her.

Her hands still on my neck and shoulder, I peel her from me as I move to her side and instantly push out the pool. I look back down and find her stood still. Trying to back up out of the red colour now surrounding her but having nowhere to go.

"Paige!" I repeat bending and touching her shoulder, not shouting, just louder to try and get her to hear me.

She whips around, acting as if I've just added to her panic and scared her as she snaps out her stunned daze. Once she's realised it's me, I reach out my hand as if to help her out the pool. She gets the hint and pushes herself out, instantly walking away, taking five or six fast steps before turning around and looking at the pool. I however go straight to get my bag from the chairs before I turn around to follow her. As I do, I see the petrified look on her face. She's stood 5m from the edge, soaking wet, clothes stuck to her skin, arms folded tightly across her chest and the whitest, wide eyed look on her face that I've ever seen.

I take one last look at the pool to see the red colour spreading to the shallow end, hitting the filters and slowly fading before I quickly walk to Paige. Taking her hand in mine without her really having a choice, I pretty much drag her inside, mumbling something as we go and ignoring any resistance.

* * *

Paiges POV:

She's marches us straight up into my room and I know my feet aren't going as quick as she wants but my body is barely functioning right now. I can't get the image out of my head…

"Paige did you hear me?" Emily asks as I register I'm standing in the middle of my room, dripping all over the floor as she runs around.

"Paige?" she repeats slightly louder as she stops in front of me and takes me by the shoulders. She waits for me to focus and look at her before she continues. "Pack a bag ok? I've done your clothes, get whatever else you want. Now".

I can't even vocalise a response. She sounds vaguely calm and I try to answer, I try to nod my head and just agree or argue and ask why. But it doesn't happen. That same image is stuck, as if glued to the front of my eyes and I can't think of anything else. But as Emily nods, apparently seeing something in me that shows I understand, and continues to rush around my room, my body subconsciously moves. I walk to my bathroom and grab a few products, to my dresser and get my hairbrush and my make up bag and turn to her. She picks up a few more things and closes my bottom drawer before turning to find me stood looking at her. But more _through_ her than anything else.

"Ok, good. Right…" she mumbles, clearly lost in her own head too as she takes the things from me, places it in what appears to be my duffle bag before she zips it up and throws it over her shoulder with her own purse.

"Emily…." I all but whisper. The first word to leave my mouth and I didn't even process saying it. She stills herself, the continuous movement she's had going since getting out the pool and she looks back to me.

"I know… just common". She replies just as quiet. She places her hand on my cheek and leans to the other side, placing a soft kiss to my skin.

Before I really know what's going on, she's making sure all the lights are off and that I'm locking the front door… she's starting her car and we're pulling out of my driveway. Turning out the end of my street I suddenly regain control, if not in an uncontrolled way….

"Stop the car." I say bluntly.

"What?" she asks quietly, eyes concentrating on the road.

"I said stop the car"

She half looks at me but continues to drive.

"Stop the car Emily!" I repeat, louder than I had wanted as I keep my eyes fixed on the road and the car abruptly pulls to the curb.

"Paige what the hell?" she asks, now turning to face me as I stay looking forward, taking a second before I answer.

"What the hell, is going on?" I say, low, quiet and precise. Deliberately repeating her words but barely leaving an instant for her to reply before I'm suddenly speaking again. It's like all the things that ran through my mind as I stood stock still looking at that black hooded figure; as we were slowly surrounded in initially dark red liquid; as she pulled me from the poolside and dashed us around and out of my house… it was all suddenly being thrown out my mouth in one rambled mess.

"What the hell is going on, I mean who was that and why were they at my house?! Why did he… she… why did they look at me like… why were they at my house and what was that stuff, was that really… and why are we leaving, I mean it's my house and… and I don't even think I shut the back doors not that that matters and what the hell were they wearing and why…"

"Paige!" Emily suddenly interrupts, her voice sounding like thunder breaking through me but in reality it wasn't loud at all. She moves forward a little and takes my face in her hands, forcing me to turn from the road where my eyes are still fixed and look at her.

"Just take a breath". She says as my eyes run all over the place. At her, at the car, at the street, looking everywhere. "Paige, look at me. Take a breath... You're ok, we're ok." she repeats as my eyes eventually connect with hers.

I do take a breath. And my head does clear just a little. Enough to process her words, unsure whether she's trying to convince me or herself… and although I don't reply, all I can think is… 'Yeah, but are we going to be…?"

* * *

Emilys POV:

Finally pulling through the gates and up the drive to Spencers house, I begin to breathe just a little easier. Not like here is any safer, but there is definitely something to safety in numbers. However, I hadn't even thought about how being here, coming _here_ without a seconds thought, would affect Paige.

"Why are we here?" she asked as I turned the engine off and she realised where we were. I didn't really have an answer and didn't reply until she asked again. "Emily, why are we at Spencers?"

"It's just where we need to be. It'll be better if we're here. I've got to let them know what just happened."

"What the hell did just happen?! You '_have to let them know..._', how about explaining it to me?!" she answered, annoyance and also upset present in her voice.

"Paige it's not like that. I just…"

"I know" she interrupted, "You need to tell your friends. The friends you tell everything too... Your first reaction is to run off to Spencers. Why is being here any better than being at mine?" she asked, locking eyes with me and I saw her fire behind them.

I knew it was more fear than anything but I wished I'd realised what an impact this all would have on her. Bringing her here after she's just found out that I tell them and have shared things with them that I had deliberately kept from her, no matter whether my intentions were good or not.

"It's not any bett.."

"Then why the hell Spencers? Of all people Emily. I kind of understand why you didn't want to stay at mine but she'd rather see me drowning in my pool than turning up and using her place as some twisted safety retreat!"

"She wouldn't want…"

"She hates me Emily!" she interrupted before I could even finish and my innate and sometimes inappropriately timed reaction to back up my friends kicked in.

"Paige, she doesn't hate you. She acts so fierce and tough because she's shit scared most of the time! We all are." I said and her face dropped. "It's safer in numbers ok…?" I added, trying to soften my voice and let her know my only intention in bringing her here was to somehow try and keep _her_ safe.

"Safer…. Great" she replied in a hushed tone, more ironically than anything else.

Knowing my friends are, right now, probably the last people she feels she's safe with. I took a deep breath and reached for her hand. Her eyes drawn back to mine immediately.

"Paige please. Please just come inside" I said and after studying me, as if seeing in me that I needed to be here. And I needed her to be here with me… she eventually just took a deep breath and got out the car, following me up the drive.

Gathered around Spencer's kitchen counter, Paige is sat on the sofa, tucked into a corner. She's drawn her knees up under her chin and has her arms wrapped around herself, just staring at the fire. After a very awkward arrival, she excused herself saying, very sweetly, that she'd let us talk and took herself to the sofa, not having moved since.

"How did they even know where you were Em? I thought the whole point of you at least trying to look like you'd broken up with Paige was to get -A to leave her out of it?" Aria asks having arrived just five minutes after we got to Spencer's.

"Yeah. It was… She had the same idea" I answer absent minded, my eyes locked onto Paige.

"What do you mean?" Spencer asks as I sigh and look at her.

"That text I got at lunch… Paige had sent it the night before. She said that she was walking away. She had already started to work out that I needed us to at least look like we were done. So she said she'd walk away."

"Wow". Aria sort of whispers as all our eyes go back to Paige.

I see Spencer shuffle a little awkwardly. They've never really got on, even months after we've been together. They've had their moments when I think they'll actually become friends. Good friends even considering they're so alike. But then one of them is stubborn over something and it all kicks off again. I think Spencer is about to say something to me but with our eyelines all still on Paige, we see her jump out her skin before hearing anything.

She jumps nearly out of the seat and spins around as we all do shortly after and see Hanna crashing through the door.

"Sorry, sorry!" she rambles, fully kitted out in pjs and woolly dressing gown. The old Hanna we know and love. Not the Marc Jacobs Hanna that she likes everyone to see...

Aria half giggles as Spencer ignores her entrance and sits on one of the stools, still clearly thinking about Paige giving herself up so easily. I look back to Paige, seeing the fear slowly fade as she sinks back into the sofa, but she looks at me a little questioningly.

"Those SOS texts you mentioned…" I answer her question knowingly. Her clearly wondering how suddenly both Aria and Hanna were here. She just lightly nods before drawing herself back into a ball and staring back at the fire.

* * *

Paiges POV:

Honestly, I'm staring so hard at this fire because I wish more than anything that I could burn this image from the front of my mind. The black figure, the way they stood and stared, walking so slowly, knowing I was watching them and then when they….

I shudder remembering the action. Apart from thinking Emily was hurt, that action scared me far more than the red water or a stranger getting into my yard and watching us without us knowing. It's something I keep replaying over and over, the way they…

Suddenly I'm brought out of my thoughts as my brain picks up on words being said at the kitchen counter.

"So from your vantage point I'm guessing you couldn't tell which one it was?" Spencer asks as Emily shakes her head lightly, a smirk however pulling across Hannas face.

"Yeah, the super hot make out session may have also clouded her view!"

"Hanna!" Aria and Emily both say in unison as they turn towards her.

"What?! Just saying! It's the only good thing about arguing, the making up…"

"Okay okay!" Emily interrupts before Hanna can continue and even though I'm not looking their direction, I know Emilys looking at me and is probably aware that I heard that.

"Can you please just concentrate for once" Spencer reins Hanna in lightly as her smirk slowly fades.

"So yet again we have nothing to go on…." Aria dwells as I get a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Thinking about how much Emily has already been through, how this all seems so scarily routine for them. I want more than anything to feel a part of it, to be a part of that conversation because let's be honest, this now does involve me. And I'm fairly sure at least 3 of them wouldn't worry about me sitting with them and recounting what happened… But the fact that I've been so blind to all of this, that it's been going on for so long, puts me off going over there more than whatever Spencer's reaction would be. Although I'm sure, every so often, I'm sure she looks my way. And even though I haven't looked back, it doesn't feel quite as menacing as it has recently.

"They must have been following you Em. Why else even bother going to Paiges?"

"That's what scares me" Emily answers Spencer, lowering her voice as I force myself to keep looking at the fire and not to turn around, not wanting any movement I do to stop Emily from explaining what she meant by that.

"What do you mean?" Hanna thankfully questions before my own urge to ask takes over.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure no one was following me. I spent so long giving myself a pep talk and replaying in my head how I would try and explain all of this… that I would have thought I would have noticed someone else around. Her street is one of the quietest in Rosewood."

"Yeah but you never know Em. We've thought we were alone before and were proved wrong"

"I know" she answers Aria as another wave of nausea rolls through me. "But what if they weren't following me… then it means they didn't know I was there. They deliberately went to hers. -A went there _for_ her and that's what scares me".

Suddenly the room could not be quieter.

I know all eyes are on me and although I continue to look ahead at the fire, I draw my arms tighter around myself, my eyes stinging from refusing to blink. My skin feels like its crawling, fear seeping through me all over again. And that image is back, the hooded figure and the action they so blatantly wanted me to see, the way it was so obviously meant for me… And then something else hits me.

"Hold up… what do you mean '_which one it was'_..?"


	10. Chapter 10

_How good was it to see Paily back on our screens this week! I loved it. Anywhoo... here's the next chapter. I've lost my way with this fic a little bit & haven't written anything since before I posted chp 9 but luckily this was already done so I can update! I think my block is because the show is now dealing with Paige finding out about A and so's this, & I want to make it different from the show, obviously! Either way, I shall get my motivation back and start writting again and in the mean time... enjoy!_  
_Also, some of you have asked questions about the story and such, all of which are covered in the next couple of chapters so hopefully it'll all become clear. Keep letting me know what you think and I hope you're all still enjoying!_

* * *

Chp 10 - Paiges POV:

_"Hold up… what do you mean 'which one it was'..?_"

They all look at me stunned as I turn to face them. Like they forgot I was here or that I could actually speak. But when I hear my own voice, I'm not surprised. I sound nothing like myself. And I've probably looked so gormless the last hour that they thought I wasn't hearing a word they said anyway.

"Wait, you didn't explain about…?" Aria lingers questioningly to Emily and I stare at her.

"I… I didn't. I honestly just forgot, I mean… one -A, two -As, a bunch of -As. What does it matter!? Either way we'd be screwed with." Emily answers defensively as she looks their way and although she kind of has a point, I still question.

Emily…?" I ask with more concern than accusation as she turns her gaze to me.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional". She replies and I can see it honestly wasn't. I mean, there are most likely a thousand scenarios and threats I'll never really know about because they seem insignificant versus the bigger things -A has done. Although, holding Emilys eyeline, it's obvious that she knows this is something she should have mentioned.

"We know there's at least two of them" she softly clarifies, her expression trying to convey once again how sorry she is, how guilty she is feeling that she even has to explain any of this to me.

"Two -As…? How?"

"One's taller than the other…." Hanna pauses as I swallow hard. "One's about my height whilst the other is at least Spencer & Emilys height, if not taller. That A we haven't got up close and personal with yet"

"But you have with the shorter one?" I ask straight away and see all the girls shift uncomfortably. "Okay… Two -As it is". I clarify slowly and fill the in silence, knowing that that isn't a memory any of them want to be recounting right now.

* * *

Emilys POV:

Silence gradually fills the room as all five of us exchange glances. Spencer breaks the silence as she slides off her stool and turns to the coffee pot. Even in the middle of the night, Spencer Hastings veins run with caffeine and the slightest dip in levels is not even worth contemplating.

I take a deep breath and see Paige return her gaze to the fire. Her clarification ringed of acceptance and although in a way I'm glad she's understanding, it also makes this all feel so wrong.

Us four girls have always been in this together and yes it's awful when one of us has been in the firing line and I've legitimately worried about the safety of someone I love, we all know that we're as connected as the other. Whether this is to do with Alison or not, it started with her. With her knowing all our secrets and somehow getting us jumping at her every word. But now that it involves someone outside of that circle, someone that I love in a very different way to the girls. Someone I love in a way I never thought I would. I don't think I'm going to rest easy ever again.

Still staring at Paige sat back in the same position, hugging her knees tight and looking partly lost and scared but also like she's trying to work out a way of fighting back… I'm brought out of my head as Hanna slips her hand in mine. She gives it a gentle squeeze before surprising me as she slides off her stool and walks over to Paige. She takes the blanket from the back of the sofa and plops her herself down next to Paige.

* * *

Paiges POV:

"Wanna share?" Hanna suddenly asks and before I know it she's sat down next to me and laying the blanket over my knees after nudging my arms out of the way. "You're nearly dried out but you still look cold…" Hanna mumbles taking my damp hair in her hand before sitting back.

The past couple of weeks have been a world wind. I never really thought about it, the way the other girls had reacted when Emily and I weren't talking. But they completely blanked me. Spencer, I just thought had reverted to her old ways, Aria and I have never really been that close but Hanna… thinking about it now, it kinda hurts. I mean, at the time I was so hurt over Emily apparently walking away that I didn't even think about it, but now... I mean, we've always got on really well. It was clear from the start that she's the one that makes Emily laugh, she's the one that is there to be the shoulder to cry on but can surprisingly also give some really eloquent advice. Advice that I've called on myself once or twice.

"What…?" Hanna suddenly asks as I still haven't looked at her.

"Nothing" I shrug lightly, not really knowing what she's asking but still in too much of a daze to bother working it out.

"You're pissed right?" she asks and that makes me turn to look at her.

"What…?"

"I mean, you're pissed at me for the past couple of weeks?" she asks again and it's irritating how, even though I know she didn't read my mind like Emily, she has the annoying timing to ask just as I've thought about it.

"Actually, yeah I kind of am…." I pause as I look back to the fire and see her do the same. "…But only because it's only just crossed my mind and I'm not thinking clear enough to know you had to act that way. So don't worry, I'll get over it" I reply, a slight quip to the end.

She nudges me in the elbow to get me to look at her before replying.

"Good, because it was exhausting! Caleb was all on my case about being a bitchy teenage girl and wanting to know what was going on and… and you looked so upset" she trails off as I lower my gaze and silence fills the air between us. "I'm really sorry Paige" she slowly adds.

"It's not your fault"

"I know but it doesn't mean that I'm not sorry" she says and I look back to her. Giving her a quick nudge back and accepting her apology and understanding why she feels she needs to say it.

"And you know Spencer doesn't hate you right?" she suddenly asks.

"Oh yeah of course, she's my number one fan!" I sarcastically reply, my voice finally sounding just a little bit like my own as Hanna helps that haunting image in my head to fade a little.

"Oh shut up. She's never hated you, she just gets all strung out with stuff and can't verbalise, _surprisingly enough_, what she wants to say and it just sounds rude. But honestly, I think it shook her the worst… seeing you so upset. I mean, you're dreadfully alike in your ways. Stubborn, relentless and…"

"Okay okay I get it" I interrupt before I have to hear any more of my own, less than endearing qualities and Hanna heartedly laughs, apparently finding my comment hilarious and seemingly laughing at the irony of something. The others at the counter look over and as she continues to giggle and I can't help but smile. My face actually hurts at the action, having clearly been stuck in a frown or with fear for so long.

"You're alike is all I'm saying." She adds as I roll my eyes and look back to the fire. "You know how we became friends right… Spence and I?" she says and I shake my head. She sinks herself back against the sofa, shoulder to shoulder with me as she starts. "It was like, seventh grade. It was phys ed and I hated it. Even more than I do now. It was never my thing and softball was my idea of hell. The school kit was always so tight and unflattering, and it was next to the boys playing soccer so I couldn't have felt more awkward. I managed to blag some crap to the teacher so I sat on the sidelines quite happy until I got smacked in the ankle with the ball. No doubt I swore because the entire class looked over but all I saw was this skinny chick all red and out of breath, but hair still immaculate, running over and taking the ball from my feet without even a second glance.

_'Oh yeah, no worries. It's totally ok for you to maim a person and pretend like it's nothing_!' I quipped, finding my now ever present genius sarcasm, as the chick ran off. But she turned around and as she looked at me, she smirked." Hanna continues to recount.

'_It's called fate'_ she said taking a couple of steps towards me. I went to say something but lost my confidence and I think she saw that. She smiled instead of smirking as she bent down to see if I'd actually hurt myself. '_You'll be fine'_ she said, '_but at least now you actually have a real excuse for skiving'_ she mocked, and I didn't miss her referring to her previous 'fate' comment. The whole, I said I was injured to skip class and now I actually was! I just looked at her shocked. '_I did anyway!... I'm physically and morally against anything that involves oversized gloves and helmet hair!'. S_he just laughed. She knew I was kind of being true but that there was more going on. Next thing I knew she was dragging me up and pulling me across the field and after continuous protesting she let me go, turning around and saying _'okay okay I get it!_'"  
And with that Hanna quirks her eyebrow at me. I can't help but laugh lightly remembering the last words leaving my mouth, as she continues. "I told her that there was no way I was going to be playing anytime soon and the only place I should be going was to report her for physical assault! Clearly just joking around but trying to act tough as I really didn't want her to make me play. '_Oh calm down. It's not the cop shop but will the nurse do?_' she asked and I looked confused. _'You need to ice that ankle… I'll take you to the police station after if you really insist, although good luck getting past my mother'_ she said and smiled as we started walking off the field. Ever since that day we've been friends." Hanna stops and gives a little shrug.

I take a quick look to Spencer, sipping coffee at the counter, looking just as worried and stressed out as usual and wonder if maybe we are more alike than I care to think.

"Stupid story really, but it proves my point" Hanna laughs as she stands up. "Want coffee?" she asks as I shrug why not, it's insanely late but I know that there's not any way I'm sleeping tonight.

I stretch my legs out a little and realise how stiff I am. Hanna drops the blanket to the sofa before walking to the counter and as I see her pour a fresh cup, I realise a certain someone is missing and wonder where Emily has got to. I hear a door click upstairs and realise it must be her as I slowly stretch my feet to the floor, take a deep breath and pull myself from the sofa.

I'm standing now, by the side doors and looking out to Spencers yard. I haven't said anything since Hanna brought me my now finished coffee and have instead, stood staring at the yard and still replaying tonight over and over. I look back to the counter for just a second.

"She's just in the shower" Aria answers as she sees me once again looking for Emily.

* * *

Emilys POV:

Wrapping the towel around my head, I finally feel warm. After looking at Hanna laughing and actually seeing Paige smile just slightly, I took Arias advice, setting the water to scolding and taking a shower. I just couldn't get warm after our impromptu dip and being scared the crap out of… and with Paige sat in front of the fire, seeming to need some time to collect her thoughts, I had sat at the counter in damp clothes and hadn't even thought of changing until Aria pointed out that I was shivering.

The vastness of Spencer's house still stuns me sometimes. As I leave the en-suit into one of the five spare rooms, I take the towel from my head and roughly dry my hair. I'm suddenly extremely glad that I brought Paige's stuff upstairs with me, realising I don't have anything to change into. As always, I keep spare underwear and a tracksuit jacket in my car with my spare swim kit but my other original clothes are still drying. So changing into my spare stuff, I decide to rummage through Paiges clothes and find something to wear.

I pull out some shorts and her Sharks t-shirt that I packed earlier and only now do I start to really think about what actually happened tonight. Earlier I just had to get out of there. Had to get Paige out of there, because the first thing that had crossed my mind was that she was no longer safe. I remember like a two years ago when I realised someone had been in my house, it freaked me out because it's like a barrier has been broken that'll never be fixed. You should feel safe in your own home and now Paige joins us in not feeling safe anywhere… As I pull the top over my head, I try to shake those thoughts clear and just stay on auto pilot. Stay in the frame of mind that keeps me going, the frame of mind that stops you from breaking down or freaking out as I make my way back downstairs.

"She's just in the shower" I hear Aria say as I reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Who's just in the shower?" I mimic, smiling lightly as I look to the girls. My smile however drops instantly as I realise Paige just jumped ten feet at my voice.

She's stood behind the sofas at the door, and as she realises it was only me, she tries to hide how jumpy she is and turns back to look at the yard.

"We're going to go in the other room ok…" Spencer says quietly as she walks over and places her hand on my shoulder. She looks to Paige for a second and even though she's trying to hide it, I know she's just as worried about her as everyone else.

"Yeah that's fine. Think I'll go to bed soon anyway. Have you seen the time!" I say, as Spencer nods, laughing a little at how it's once again nearly 3am and we are all wide awake.

She gives my shoulder an encouraging squeeze before grabbing her mug and walking out to the room next door to join the girls.

I sigh a little as I look at Paige, the back of her anyway. Her arms still hugged around her chest as she looks out the window and I wonder what I can say to make any of this better. It's the first time it's been just us since I rushed her out of her house and argued with her in the car, and honestly, I know no matter what words I find, I can't make this better.

"Hey" I say quietly as I walk up behind her. She turns her head slightly and her cheek tugs just a little at her mouth. It's not a smile, but I think it's the best reaction she can muster right now. Then she surprises me.

"You ok?" she asks, looking back to the yard.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm ok" I reply, still shocked. Not that she asked, but… well yeah. That she asked. I know she worries about me but she's seemed in such a daze that it surprises me somehow. Instantly, I realise it's something that should never shock me. Half the reason she's probably been in such a state is because of that exact reason, she's worried about me.

I gingerly place my hand on her lower back, not wanting to make her jump again and thankfully feel her move back into my touch. She unfolds her arms and reaches around my back, resting her hand on my other hip and pulling me into her side. I think she was just going to stand side by side but as soon as I feel her warmth on my hip, I can't help but move fully into her. Wrapping my arms around her neck, I pull her close and she stumbles into me but quickly gathers herself and holds me close. She initially a little tense but as quickly as I feel it, it's gone and she melts, letting me mould into her body. I bury my head into her neck and relish breathing her in.

"I'm so sorry" I say and my voice gives me away. It cracks as I feel everything starting to build inside. I've just got her back and the pain I used to feel with all this A stuff in now trebled. I can't lose her and the feeling of having her close again brings all my emotions to the front as my eyes start to sting. She instantly pulls away.

"Emily…" she says quietly, placing her palms on my cheeks and waiting till I look at her. "Oh Em" she mumbles as a tear falls onto my cheek and she wipes it away before pulling me into her again. "You don't have to be sorry ok? None of this is your fault."

"Of course it's my fault" I reply, muffled as I press myself as close to her as I can get.

"It's not" she adds, holding me tighter.

"It is Paige. If it wasn't for me than you wouldn't have anything to be worried about. You'd feel safe and not have to deal with any of this" I reply as she pulls back to look at me again.

"Just stop" she says softly.

"But Paige it's just…" I start before she cuts me off by gently placing her finger on my lips.

My eyes lock with hers before they're drawn down to her lips as she keeps her finger pressed lightly. Both our eyes raise together as she lowers her hand and traces her finger tips to my neck, holding my gaze before slowly pulling me in. I hold her eyeline as long as possible before I feel our lips softly touch and my eyes close at the feeling. She holds me close with a hand on my neck and waist as I grasp at her shirt, feeling another tear merge between our lips. She kisses it away as we connect just a few more times, soft and slow.

Pulling away and resting our foreheads together, she breathes out and hot air sweeps across my face. I can feel her trembling slightly in my hands and I'm fairly sure she's been that way for hours.

"Listen Em. If you're dealing with all of this, if me going through it too means I might be able, even slightly, to stop you getting hurt. There is nowhere else I'd be. I don't care what it takes, I'm here for you". She says as I keep my eyes closed, just absorbing everything about her.

I release her shirt and run my hands down her sides to her hips. Holding her and trying to show how much she really does mean to me. I hate that she's now involved, but I can also understand what she's saying. If she was going through something like this then there'd be nothing I wanted more than to be a part of it too. Whether that meant being in danger or feeling fear, it wouldn't matter. And I shoulder have realised that from the start. I breathe her in deep, feeling tired as my little emotional breakdown fades and I feel her thumb tracing over my cheek.

"Want to go to bed?" I ask lightly as she pulls back a little, suddenly looking concerned. "We'll be ok here Paige. The girls are staying till first light and Spencer's parents are back in the morning".

"What… are you going to tell them?!" she asks panicked.

"No, no not at all. I just mean that we're ok here tonight. I'll keep you safe I promise" I tell her and watch her breathe out as her eyes fall shut.

A little, love filled smile pulls on her face and I know it's because she appreciates the promise. Whether she believes me I don't know. However I notice something else... from how little she reacted to me basically saying she's unsafe at home, I'm guessing she _did_ hear what I said earlier. She pulls me out of my thoughts by lightly pressing her lips just to the side of my mouth.

"Bed it is then" she says as she smiles lightly. "…Where is bed exactly?" she smirks and I giggle, finding comfort in falling so easily back in rhythm with her.

"Spare room... top of the stairs, 2nd left" I say as she nods and walks to the stairs. I turn and collect my glass from the counter and turn to find her just a couple of stairs up. She holds my eyeline and that familiar fire in her eyes is returning, flickering in the background.

"My shirt looks good on you" she lingers and shivers flow through me as I breathe deep.

She smiles and holds out her hand before going any further, waiting for me. When I get to the bottom of the stairs I take her hand and lace our fingers together as I step up and lead her upstairs.


	11. Chapter 11

_Sooo sorry for the delay in posting. I literally just finished this and I usually don't post until I'm a couple of chapters ahead but I know I've left this hanging for a while. As I said before, this fic is now starting to slightly follow the arc of the show, what with paige knowing about A and I want to make sure it's different so needed to watch a couple of episodes before I continued writing. Thank you so much for your comments. Cici & Sazar, you totally make my day as you seem to completely understand what I've wanted to portray with all the relationships so thank you :-) _  
_Keep commenting guys, and I've got another 2/3 shot coming soon :-)_

* * *

Paiges POV:

Changing for bed in the en-suit of Spencer Hastings spare room is something I never, ever thought I'd be doing. Even less so when I walk out and find Emily pulling back the covers to the huge double bed and climbing in. I climb in after her and smile at the fact that she's changed into some of my pj bottoms and has kept my Sharks t-shirt on. I lay back and pull the cover up to my chest. I hear her sigh deep so I lift my arm, motioning her into my side. She immediately moves and rests her head in the crook of my neck as my arm wraps around her shoulders and pulls her close.

She starts breathing slowly as I'm fairly sure she's falling to sleep until I hear her talk.

"I really am sorry Pa…"

"Emily I said stop saying sorry" I laugh lightly and nudge her, she just buries her head deeper into me. "Alright, let me guess…." I start, knowing she's not going to stop feeling guilty until she knows I understand.

"You're sorry for involving me even though I've told you it's what I want… you're sorry that I'm probably not going to exactly feel safe at home for a while, you're sorry I might be feeling scared now but you're also sorry that you didn't tell me sooner…. How am I doing?" I ask as she pokes me in the side.

"Yeah, you're a bloody smart arse", to which I laugh. She slowly drapes her arm over my waist and pulls me closer.

"I get it Em, honestly I do. But it's ok" I say, running my fingers through her hair. "I know I was a mess earlier and kind of dazed out but that's done now. I'm here" I add and feel a warmth spread through me as she tangles her legs in mine. She's pulled tight into my side and I'm sure there's not a single gap between us. Silence fills the air for a while until she asks…

"Are you… you know, feeling scared now?"

"I was… And yeah I guess I am but not as much as earlier. It's like when you go to the dentist, the whole unknown thing"

"Yeah I guess so" she laughs. "Never quite would have described it like that, but not knowing what is going to happen next is definitely the worst part. We're just always waiting for something to happen" she adds as I run my fingers up and down her back.

"Are _you_ scared now?" I ask lightly. I feel her breathe deep against my side as she thinks about her answer and I take the time to memorize exactly how this feels. To have her this close again, melting into my side. Her leg is draped over mine and she's absentmindedly tracing shapes on my hip.

"Not now really, because I know how these things go. -A wouldn't bother doing anything tonight, it's too soon. There wouldn't be enough time for us to get all worked up over what happened. But I think earlier tonight was the most scared I've ever been... After everything that's happened. I just never thought your place would be somewhere that I'd… that we'd have to tell with it. And _you_ were there…"

"Hmmm, would've been nice to at least have 24horus to actually process all this before them standing 10ft away from us" I agree, sounding less light hearted than I had intended and I feel her tense a little. "But it'll be alright Em. I promise" I add quickly.

"I hope so" she mumbles barely audible but I hear her loud and clear and move my free hand to her chin, lifting her head to look at me.

"I know so." I say firmly and she smiles a little. "The only time I've ever felt more scared than I did tonight, was when I thought I'd lost you... And that's not going to happen, so it'll be fine, I swear."

Holding her gaze the entire time, I see her pupils dilate and feel her breathe deep at my words, before suddenly she's moving herself up my body and capturing my bottom lip between hers. Her hand leaves my hip as she takes my cheek and I hold her close with my arm still around her shoulders. As she reconnects, she kisses me deep. Inviting her way into my mouth as she moves slow but purposefully, as if pouring into me all the heartache we've both felt. She's lying half on top of me, her leg still placed between mine and I run my free hand up and down her sides, causing her to shiver as I drown in her kiss.

I bend my leg up as it slips between hers and roll us onto our sides, a tangled mess of arms and legs but our kiss remains steady. Deep and slow, love filled and totally necessary with the way we're both feeling.

"You know I love you right…" I mumble against her lips as we pull away, lying face to face, just inches apart with both our eyes heavy and staying closed.

"Me to…. with everything I have" she whispers as I smile, hold her close and thankfully feel reality slipping away.

* * *

Emilys POV:

I wake up with the sun cracking through the curtains and can already tell it's mid morning. Years of 5am alarms for swim practice forces your brain to appreciate not waking up at the crack of dawn! As I blink my eyes open, I recognise a pressure just above my hip and quickly remember everything that happened. I turn over carefully and smile at the sight. Paige is finally asleep. I know she was awake most of the night. Every time I stirred I noticed her close her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Or she would have her eyes closed already but her breathing gave her away. I heard her get up at what I'd guessed was about 6am and when she came back, she seemed to have relaxed a little.  
I lay still, just scanning her laying next to me, she looks peaceful. The only thing that bothers me is that I come to realise the pressure on my hip isn't just her hand or arm casually draped over me, she clenching my shirt in her fingers. Holding tight as if to ensure that she'd wake up if something happened to me.

I lightly trace my finger tips down her arm and see goosebumps appear in its trail, watching her eyes to see if she wakes. I continue down her arm and lace my fingers in hers, prying her hand from my shirt, well her shirt, and she immediately opens her eyes. She's startled, scanning the images erupting into view but as soon as she sees no one but me, she softens. Tightening our hand hold and relaxing again.

"Morning" I say as I rest my head to the side of hers, facing her as she lays on her back.

"Hmmm, I'm sure it's afternoon by now" she sleepily mumbles.

"Really…?"

"Yeah, I was up at like nine so by now I'm guessing its gone noon" she adds and I curse myself for my internal clock being so screwed up. I'm usually dead on. "Oh don't" she adds smiling, her eyes still closed.

"Don't what?"

"Get annoyed" she states bluntly and I slap her hip lightly.

"I hate that you know me that well" I fake huff as she smiles.

"No you don't. You love it" she says as she stretches out her arm and I immediately roll into her side, holding her tight and pulling the covers up over our shoulders, shielding out the world for just a second longer and feel my cheeks aching from smiling.

As she starts to wake up she shuffles away a little before turning on her side, facing me. Her eyes are as wide as ever and there it is, the fire I so often see burning behind her deliciously brown eyes. She's searching me, running her eyes all over my face, smiling to herself.

"What…?" I question lightly and it comes out as a whisper as the look in her eyes causes my voice to lower.

"Nothing… this just has to be the best way to wake up. That's all" she says slow and heartfelt, holding my eye line.

I feel the blush creep all over my skin. I can't help but look down slightly, her words so intense that she makes me feel giddy. I hear her giggle lightly at the way I'm acting, acting all embarrassed at her words. But she makes me feel that way, knowing that someone feels that way about me, it makes me feel shy and somehow guilty, guilty that I'm lucky enough to have someone like her in my life...

"Ergh God" I mutter under my breath. "I'm such a sap" I add, knowing my ridiculously loved-up thoughts are so cheesy but as I hear her laugh, I couldn't care less.

I raise my eyes back to hers and smile wide at the grin pulling so effortlessly across her cheeks. She shakes her head lightly, most likely knowing exactly the type of sappy things I'm thinking. She leans in as if to kiss me lightly but I quickly duck out of reach. She stiffens a little at my reaction but doesn't have time to wonder as I slip underneath the covers and raise them up over our heads, pulling her down to lay underneath them with me. She giggles airily, turning to face me, sounding so innocently happy as I tuck the covers under the pillows above our heads and wrap us in our own little world.

Gradually I feel her eyes burning to my skin and I look back to her. Lying on our sides, facing each other only inches apart, her eyes are dark and loving as she slips one hand in mine and raises the other. She lightly trails her fingertips across my skin. Over my cheek, along my jaw and over my lips. Her eyes follow her action as I watch them and feel the heat burning my skin in her wake. She continues to lightly trace her fingers back along my jaw and slowly down my neck before she runs her hand through my hair and brushes it behind my ear. As she rests her hand at the back of my neck, our gaze returns and holds steady, the intensity of everything we feel for each being said with just a look.

I raise my free hand to her hip and slide it around to her lower back, pulling her into me slightly and holding her close. Not needing to go any further, the looks she's giving me and the way she's holding me in our own private sanctuary, by far enough to cause my heart to race.

Slowly though I see her eyes lower and the urge to have her lips on mine grows. I hear a light bang from outside our little world but with the fire in her eyes, I don't even flinch.

"That's $20 Aria" suddenly fills the room and snaps Paige and I out of our blissful state.

"Hanna what the hell?" I ask as I immediately pull the covers back and sit up seeing Han standing at the door with a smirk on her face, shortly followed by Aria.

"Oh guys common, I could've sworn we'd be waking you up after you were too traumatised to sleep, not interrupting something else!" Aria chimes in as she pulls a twenty from her back pocket.

"You weren't interrupting… that!" I try to protest. I was going to say she wasn't interrupting anything at all, but with the look that was in Paiges eyes still burning the front of my mind, I know if she was a few seconds later, she may have been.

"Oh yes we were, why else would you two be wrapped up under the covers, so close that you look like one person?!" Hanna laughs lightly, widening her eyes at Paige and I suddenly remember that she is actually still here. Witnessing the uncomfortably natural banter the girls and I have.

"Seriously, you bet on that?" she questions Hanna, ignoring her prying question and I smile inside, loving that she isn't too bothered at being the centre of the girls mocking.

"Oh yeah for sure, don't forget I know you rather well now McCullers!"

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" she smiles at Hanna as she props herself up on her elbows. I sit up next to her and look to Hanna who just laughs.

"Have you strategically decided to forget that I'm the one you've been coming to to gush about how much you like miss thang there…" Hanna replies pointing at me as I feel Paige tense a little.

"Hanna…." She warns, but she should know it's no good.

"Oh yeah. Wasn't it only like a month ago… the '_she's amazing'_ talk I had to sit through!?" Hanna asks as I can't help but smile, looking to Paige and seeing the blush burn her skin. "And after the first time you stayed over Em... I mean, oh boy that was a looong talk! The whole _'I've never felt this way'_ business even though you two didn't actually do anything! Talk about buzz kill".

"Oh Jheeze!" Paige moans as she gives up and sinks back under the covers, pulling them right over her head and hiding herself away as Hanna stops her relentless teasing and crumbles into laughter.

"Awwww P reaaallly?" I can't help but join in, poking her from on top of the covers as she wriggles and I hear a muffled huff of a reply.

"My work here is done!" Hanna laughs, taking in Paige's embarrassment and walking out. "Now get your asses out of bed, we've got work to do!" is shouted back at us before her giggling echos its way down the stairs.

* * *

Paiges POV:

Pretty much being dragged down the stairs by Emily, I know I'm still bright red. As if it wasn't bad enough that Hanna would've bet that we'd be making out, she had to go and spill my unfailing ramblings to her about Emily. She _was_ right but that's so not the point and what's worse is that we weren't even making out and she got cash from it!

It was thoguht one of our most intense moments, the feelings of which are still burning in my mind and causing my deep red blush to only stay longer.

I scowl at Hanna as we reach the kitchen and she just rolls her eyes. I see Em laugh under her breath and I pull my hand from hers as she turns back and gives me her best apologetic look, like she isn't really enjoying this as much as she obviously is. I give up, sighing into the notion of being the centre of ridicule for at least the next week as she takes my hand back in hers and pulls me to the kitchen counter.

"Spence, seriously, that's your second cup this afternoon. Let alone the crate full you drank this morning!" Aria points out as Em and I join the others on the bar stools.

Sitting opposite me, Hanna tries to catch my eye but I avoid her gaze whilst Spencer ignores Aria completely, continuing to refill her mug.

"Yeah, well I need all the fuel I can get, and so do you. So drink up"

"Can I at last make a new batch…" Aria mutters rhetorically as Emily giggles next to me, taking a bagel from the centre of the island and passing one my way.

"What?" Spencer asks looking confused.

"Oh common Spence, we've had this conversation before" Hanna answers as Spencer's frustration grows.

"Whatever, just drink up. And I don't know why you're all complaining when you all get so mad if I'm not all 'detective hastings!" she pauses as both Aria and Hanna drop their gaze, knowing she's got a point. "How exactly do you think I get that way hmmm?" Spencer adds, this time with a lighter note as Emily looks at her a smiles.

Aria stands anyway and puts on a new batch. I however, appear to be as much of a caffeine addict as Spencer and can't see the harm in extending an olive branch, or a caffeine branch I guess. I lean forward and take the pot from the centre and pour myself a cup of the coffee she made. I'm instantly glad I did as the intense scent hits me. We've got our differences but this girl sure can make coffee.

"Seriously….?" Hanna questions me.

"Oh don't even get her started. You should hear her starbucks order" Emily answers before I get a chance and I can't help but laugh.

I take a mouthful of coffee and let my eyes fall shut as I feel it running down, burning as if running through my veins. I hear Hanna and Em giggle as I open my eyes but ignore them as I notice Spencer quickly look away. She's the furthest away from stupid and I know my gesture hasn't gone unnoticed, even if it turns out it actually worked in my favour.

"So, we need to get all that sorted anyway. You know, if you wanna handle that." Spencer clears her throat and says to no one in particular before starting to turn away. When she hears no reply, she looks back with wide eyes at Aria who just sighs. Once Spencer sees she's got the message, she continues and walks off into what I believe is her father's study.

"It's like the whole, '_Tell ' . ' to do 'this' because I'm not talking to them...'_" Hanna chimes in as Em and I eat our bagels and look at them confused.

"I know, I don't know why she can't just ask herself" Aria replies as if completely understanding.

"What are you two talking about?" Emily asks just as confused as Aria takes her seat opposite Emily, pushes her plate away and sits up straight, as if getting on to a serious conversation.

"Paige… we've been talking and we need to go back to your place today. To the pool. Would that be ok?" she asks and it takes a minute to register.

"Er… yeah. Why though?"

"We want to see if there's anything left in your yard. Anything from A or something to tell us what all that red stuff was" she answers sheepishly as I feel Emily staring at me hard.

"Erm, yeah ok." I mutter, barely finishing before Hanna starts.

"What, you really think it could've been blood? Like real blood?!" she questions looking at Aria but when she just looks at us, Hanna turns to face us too.

"I er…"

"We don't know" Em interrupts, seeing I'm not sure how to reply as she lightly takes my hand under the counter.

"Oh my God, that's nearly as bad as the teeth!" Hanna replies, grimacing in disgust and to be honest, I don't even want to know about that one.

"It's not going to have been real blood guys" Emily now tries to clarify but doesn't sound that convinced.

"Well you don't know though do you… I mean, if it was, that's just… Could you really not tell?" Aria asks again, thinking out loud. Emily has a mouthful of food so she looks to me.

"I er… honestly I didn't exactly get a good look. I kinda freaked out…." I admit and wish immediately that I hadn't as Hanna looks away and Aria half smiles at me in understanding. "I just wanted to get out of it, whatever it was"

"Of course she did." suddenly interrupts me, "Stop badgering them, they're not going to know anymore than they did last night. We'll just go over there and see if we can find out ok?" Spencer adds, coming back into the room and seemingly coming to my defence. "_We_ may have taken the time to notice more but she didn't so we'll just have to wait and see" she adds in typical spencer style but I don't rise to it, knowing that if it was me I'd probably have added a little attitude too. There's nothing like a backhanded compliment between two previous enemies…

Everyone stays quiet, all clearly hearing spencers quip my direction and I squeeze Emilys hand as I see her flinch, about to come to my defence. Without looking my way, she knows I don't want or need her to say anything and finishes her coffee without the others even noticing her reaction.

We all finish eating our mid afternoon breakfast with non-distinct chatter as Spencer busies herself with the dishes.

"I'm going to go have a shower, d'you want to come up?" Emily asks quietly, nothing other than innocent intentions but it doesn't stop Hanna chocking on the last of her coffee.

"No, I'm ok. I think I'm going to have a re-fill. I need all the energy I can get" I reply, thinking I'll just take it outside if it gets awkward just being me and the other girls.

Emily nods lightly as she stands and passes her dishes to Spencer before kissing me on the cheek and going upstairs. I know spencer has a dishwasher, probably multiple dishwashers so I assume she just wanted to keep busy as after a few minutes, she puts the last of the clean mugs back in cupboard.

"We'll I'm off to get changed. I can't be in sweats any longer!" Hanna says standing and leaving the kitchen and I finish my refill and wash up my own cup.

Everyone slowly filters out in different directions as I decide to take the plunge and turn around before she leaves.

"Can I… Can I talk to you for a second….?"


	12. Chapter 12

_I know, i know! it's been forever since an update but here's a 4000word chapter to make up for it :-) consistant readers know that I'm trying to ensure this fic stays away from the tv plot hence the slower update. :-)  
This chap reveals what Paige saw at the pool and is heavy on the McHastings. But don't fear, as with the Paige/Hanna moments, Paily will always remain the main focus! I missed Paige in the latest ep so needed to get back to writing!_

_Reviews always appreciated!_

* * *

Chp 12 - Paiges POV:

As she turns around, she looks at me questioningly before shrugging her shoulders and nodding lightly.

I find myself looking around the living room, thinking about Em just up the stairs and the others somewhat close by, I take a deep breath and I turn back.

"Could we… could we go outside?" I ask as I point to the side door and after a second, she turns and walks to the doors as I follow.

Taking a seat on the benches just outside the side door, I watch her sit and avoid my eye line & internally laugh at the situation. Of all the people I could ask to talk to about this… I can't believe it's about to be Spencer Hastings.

"So…." She prompts after the most uncomfortable three minutes I can think of.

"Er, yeah." I mutter, still fiddling with the coffee cup in my hand, knowing I have to start talking or she's just going to walk off.

"Look, it's fine. Just say whatever you've got to say" she surprises me and for the first time this morning I actually catch her eye. It's as if she's expecting me to have a go at her and I have to give her credit for telling me to just say whatever I need to, even if it's not of the kindest notion.

I realise that she's extending her own olive branch here and it's the nicest she's probably going to get considering she probably still thinks I hate her, just like I feel about her feelings towards me. I suddenly know that everyone else is right, we are more alike than we care to believe…

"I wanted to thank you actually" I say, deciding that hopefully starting with this will make her realise that I'm not here to be nasty.

"Why, what for?" she asks, just as stunned as I was a second ago.

"For being there. You know, for Emily, through all of this. I know it's not my place and that you'd be there whether I thanked you or not, but I just feel like I need to say it…" I pause and see her taking in my words, a neutral expression if anything. "I feel awful about not being able to have been there when all of this stuff has been happening but to know she had you around makes it a little better. And the other girls of course" I add, not wanting to sound like I'm kissing ass too much.

"I get it… it's fine" she says after a pause and it feels like the air between us has cleared a little.

"There's something else though right?" she asks and I force myself to suck in the huff that's about to leave my mouth. Why does she know that!? I look back to her and raise my eyebrows as if questioning what she means. "Well you wouldn't be brown nosing me if there wasn't something else" she says and I roll my eyes, maybe this was a bad idea.

"No look, I didn't mean it like that. I know you're being honest in thanking me and I appreciate it. I guess I can just tell that there's something else you want to say. It must be that whole '_you're so alike' _thing that everyone keeps going on about."

"Oh you've had that too huh?" I add with a slight smirk.

"Oh yes" she replies and a small, very small but noticeable smile is passed between us.

"Okay… yes there is something else. I didn't think it would be you I was telling this to, but after this morning I kind of feel it's only you I could tell first." I say and just decide to be honest, stop all the animosity between us and act like we can actually be civil to each other.

"This morning?" she questions, seeming to relax as she sits back in her chair opposite me.

"Er yeah" I answer and realise she has no idea what I mean…

* * *

Earlier that morning:

_Hearing Emily stir for what has to be at least the eighth time in two hours, I fix my eyes on her and sigh as I see her eyes trailing back and forth under her eyelids, clearly not a peaceful sleep. I'm happy that she's managed to get some though, knowing there's no way I can sleep tonight._

_I turn and look to the clock and see 8.28am, realising why it seems so bright behind the think blue curtains. I know we only came to bed at around 3am but that time seems to have flown by and I haven't slept a second of it. I can't stop my hands from trembling or that same image from running around my head. I just can't calm myself down enough to stop all the thoughts or enough to convince myself that I am actually safe here._

_At that moment I hear a noise downstairs and my heart rate trebles. Emily stirs once again but rolls onto her side and seems to drift back off. Slowly though I hear light voices from downstairs and realise it's probably just Spencer and the girls. Hearing activity makes me realise how much I could use a drink... but I don't want to leave Emily._

_I shake my head and force myself to stop being stupid. I've laid here for over four hours just staring at her, making sure she's ok when I know that right now, asleep and in a house full of people, she's the most ok she probably can be. I take one last look around the room, making sure no windows could be opened or anything suspicious is hiding somewhere before I take a deep breath and force myself to slide quietly out of bed._

_After using the bathroom I tiptoe out of the spare room, another quick glance at Emily as I gently close the door and head for the stairs, hearing the voices gradually become louder. I stop suddenly as I hear a male voice._

_"So why are you still up, I thought you'd still be fast asleep after such a long week?"_

_"I'm not still up dad, I've been to bed. I'm just awake now that's all" I hear spencer answer, clearly lying, and I relax a little as I realise the voices are her and her parents, clearly just arriving home. _

_"And the girls are all here why? I nearly tripped over Hanna in the hallway... why can't that girl ever sleep in one of the spare rooms?!" I hear Spencers mother ask as I tiptoe closer to the top of the stairs, not really knowing why._

_"You know what she's like…" Spencer says under her breath. "but we just decided to all crash here that's all. Nothing wrong with that is there?" Spencer asks, clearly diverting attention._

_"No of course not" her mother answers as I hear the coffee pot being switched on. 'like mother like daughter', I think._

_"But Paige McCullers is here too?" her dad asks and suddenly my hearts in my throat._

_"Yes" Spencer answers simply._

_"Okay… Why? I mean I thought you two didn't get on?" he asks again and I wait for her answer. Feeling guilty for listening and realising maybe I don't want to hear what she's going to say._

_"She's with Emily. And if Emily wants her to be here, then she's welcome in my book" she replies and I'm more than stunned._

_"Just because your friend is dating her, doesn't mean you have to like her Spencer. That's your friends problem not yours." Her dad replies and it makes me cringe, being referred to as a problem. And I know it's not even about us being together as a gay couple, it's just the fact it's me Emily's dating._

_"Dad, Paige and I have had our conflicts yes, but most of it has just been because we both care about Emily and have different opinions on how to go about whatever is going on…" She trails off, clearly thinking about the whole -A situation. " but I get where she's coming from and as I say, if she's with Emily then that's good enough for me. I guess we have an understanding." She finishes and I know I must look like an idiot. My eyes wide, mouth agape, not believing what I just heard. _

_I shake myself out of it, feeling like I've already overstepped by listening to their conversation and quietly make my way back to the spare room. Seeing Emily still sleeping, not soundly but at least getting some rest, I slide back under the covers and feel her immediately roll into my side. I lightly pull her close and realise that for the first time since I saw -A and that action… that my hands have stopped shaking. I finally feel a little calmer, hearing that conversation clearly settling my nerves slightly as I see the clock tick over to 8.45 and my eyes start to feel heavy._

* * *

"Er, yeah… I heard you this morning" I hesitantly continue. "I guess I just realised that we've only ever battled each other when we are concerned for the people we care about. And that you're probably the one person that can deal with what I need to say, that can give me the advice I need." I finish and look back to her having avoided her eyes since I started to explain.

"Okay, go ahead. I'll help if I can" she answers and once again she stuns me, not even acknowledging the fact I listened to her conversation this morning.

I realise that no matter what, we now definitely do have an understanding. We may never be the best of friends, but we are truly alike in our need to be the protector, the one with the answers and the strong and defiant personality... right now, I'm thankful for that.

"Last night, there's something that I didn't say. Something that I didn't tell Emily and I don't know how to. I think I have to tell her, but I don't want to. I mean I don't want her to be more scared than she already is but I can't keep stuff from her, I've never been able to…" I trail off as Spencer puts her coffee cup down on the wooden table in between of us.

"Hmm, she has that quality of getting things out of people" she says lightly as she sits back again, not pressing me for details and just waiting until I'm ready...

"-A… like whoever it is. They did something. Just before Emily turned around. It's what made me freeze. More than the red in the pool or the fact that someone was watching us, just the way they… and I can't get it out of my mind"

"Paige what did they do?" she asks, the classic Spencer tone coming through and it's clear I needed to hear it as it's only then that I feel like I'm able to actually say the words out loud.

"Drew their finger across their neck… you know, like the 'I'm going to cut your throat' action…" I say as her eyes grow slightly bigger. She seems to question it slightly so I raise my hand and gently draw my index finger across my neck in a straight line, repeating the exact action I have playing over and over in my head.

"To you…?" she asks quietly.

"I'm fairly sure. I mean he….she, whatever was walking down the poolside when I looked up and they stopped. Turned to me, raised their hand, pointed at me, at us… and then did that. And what's so annoying is that I still couldn't see who it was. The hood was so low, it was so dark…"

"Don't' worry about that. We've never been able to see who it is…" she adds and I take a breath. Feeling a little relief at having told someone.

"So what bit should I worry about…? The part where -A is going to try and kill me, or god forbid that the point was actually at Emily and that they want to hurt her?" I ask and she shakes her head slowly, her mind running.

"Honestly, I know it's not easy but I think you can't worry about either. I know you will but what I mean is, is that either way you now know about -A. And you know that puts you in danger. Whether -A had done that action or not, you still have to be more careful." She says as I nod before she seems to think of something else. "But you heard what Em said last night right?"

"About -A coming to my house for me…? Yeah."

"So you have to be careful." She says, matter of fact and for once her not hiding away from an awkward conversation actually helps. "I mean it Paige… you have to be careful"

"I know" I add with a small smile, seeing her concern for me and acknowledging it, realising I actually wouldn't want anything to happen to her either.

"But my other problem… do I tell Emily?" I ask, moving smoothly over the moment.

"You know you have to. You're right, she has a way of finding things out and if she knows you're hiding something she'll only go looking for answers herself."

"I just don't want to scare her, make it even worse" I say, more to myself than anything but Spencer hears and doesn't take the open invite to mock my vunerbility like we always have before, she just glances over it.

"She's already scared Paige. But if she finds out that you've kept it from her… or something happens and she didn't know. It'll be much worse. She'll see it like you didn't tell her because you can't talk to her or don't trust her, not that you're trying to protect her"

"Talking from experience?" I ask, smiling lightly at how easily she said her last sentence.

"hmmm, let's just say keeping things from Emily never work out well!" and I laugh a little as I nod and quiet forms between us. "Look, she's cares about you. Even after all the agro we gave her for it. I know we did and maybe that was unfair but it never changed her feelings for you. So trust that she'd want to know, just like you wanted to know about -A."

"…Thanks" I say after thinking over her words. A short nod and quick glance, we know where we stand with each other and I'm glad it was her I ended up talking to. She props her feet up of the table, relaxing further as she laughs.

"Anyway, I'd like to see you try and keep it from her. Especially now. You're never going to be alone you know that right? She's going to freak whenever you're not with her" she says and I laugh too, but giggling as my heart swells a little as I know it's because of how much Emily cares about me. She picks her mug back up again as I smirk.

"Guess you're stuck with me then" I say, pushing it a little to see if the air really is cleared.

"Guess so" she says with a small smile and a raise of her cup, as if to 'cheers' the fresh ground between us.

Suddenly the side doors swing open as all three girls pile onto the porch.

"There you are!" Emily gasps as Hanna and Aria bump into the back of her.

"Seriously… you didn't even check out here before you had us frantically searching for her!" Hanna moans as she shakes her head lightly and turns, following Aria back into the house.

"Told you…" Spencer says under her breath and I can't help but laugh aloud as she takes another mouthful of her coffee. Not just at the fact she was right, but also the look on Emily's face. The initial concern faded to utter shock that it's Spencer she's found me with.

"…Hold up. What this?!" Hanna suddenly appears again and points at us. Spencer just shakes her head, a quick glance my direction and stands, ushering all of the girls back into the house as I stand too.

I hear her hushing Hanna, waving off her questions like there's nothing to tell as I step in front of Emily and see her shuffle into the house behind me, her face still full of confusion.

* * *

Emilys POV:

An hour or so later and we're all walking through town, deciding to walk and stop off at Hannas on the way to Paiges instead of all taking separate cars, a silent agreement that we're all probably staying together tonight anyway. Thankfully it being a Saturday night means questions from parents won't be raised… Spencer and Aria walk in front of Hanna and I whilst Paige seems to deliberately keep herself a pace or two behind.

I turn to look at her as Hanna continues to talk. She gives me a small smile before taking her phone out her back pocket and trying to look busy. I know it didn't just go off and it's obvious she's doing it so I don't reach for her hand again. Last time I did, as we first got into town, it took her all of a minute to make some silent excuse and withdrawing her hand to brush back her hair before stepping out of reach.  
It's like we're suddenly hiding our relationship again and it's weird how instantly that memory comes back. She was perfectly fine at Spencers. Even when I continued to bug her about her and Spencer, getting the same '_we were just drinking our coffee, that's all'_ response. She kissed me to shut me up, wrapped her arms around my waist as she stood behind me, listening to Spencer explain what she had told her parents about us all staying over, she'd held my hand after we'd finished packing our stuff up in the spare room… but now. It's like she doesn't even want to stand near me.

I try to tell myself she's just giving me time with the other girls but that doesn't stop me from wanting to pull her in because I don't want space from her. I want her to be part of my time with my friends. So I think maybe she's just worrying about going back to her place… but yet again that just makes me want to have her close and that's clearly not what she wants right now, even as we turn the corner to her road.

Approaching her house she speeds up a little and overtakes us all as she takes her keys and unlocks her door. She looks back at us all before slowly pushing open the front door and stepping aside to let us in. The girls slowly walk through the hall, scanning the surroundings as they look for signs of anyone inside. Although I'm sure Hanna and Aria are looking more at the vast expanse of her house than anything else. I turn back to Paige and find her stood with the door still wide open, one hand placed on the frame, looking out into the street. Waiting, watching. I step closer and slide my hand down her free arm and into her own.

"Are you ok?" I ask lightly as for just a second she holds my hand too, before quickly pulling back and jumping away from me as if my touch was the last thing she wanted. Her gaze is instantly back outside, scanning the street as I feel actual pain from her action pool in my stomach.

She slowly closes the door, keeping her eyes fixed outside until the last second as she steps back and fixes the deadbolt and chain over the door. Stepping back and looking at it again as if just to make sure it's closed. Seeing her being so cautious to lock us in like that makes my feelings quell a little. But as she turns around, her eyes don't search for me but instead search the house. She begins to walk away down the hall, shooting me a small smile as she goes. She holds my eye line as she does but pulls it away before it makes me feel any better, in fact it makes me feel worse. I follow her and am about to say something but see the other girls and Aria speaks up as we enter the back room.

"These doors lead to the pool?" she says as she points to the double doors leading out into her garden, obvious that they do as you can see the pool through the glass.

"Yeah, just let me get the keys" Paige answers, sounding relatively normal, nothing like how I'm feeling. All worry about being back here gone, replaced with annoyance and confusion at how she's acting.

She turns and looks through the house once more and then slides her hand into mine as she takes a step closer, like now it's ok for her to be near me…?!

"These doors always locked?" Spencer asks before I can verbalise my confusion.

"Yeah. When no ones in anyway. Last night they were open when we were in the garden but I don't think anyone came inside. Whoever it was was on poolside and then ran off. After that we came in here and locked everything up before we came to yours…" she explains freely as Spencer nods and it's the most she's ever said to her. Ever. Even when they've had a full blown argument, they've never exchanged that much.

I feel her subconsciously hold my hand a little tighter and it snaps me out of my head.

"We need…"

"Can we…"

Spencer and I both say at the same time. Spencer motioning towards the doors as Paige looks to me to see what I was saying.

"We need to talk" I finish clearly, annoyance probably evident as I drop her hand and walk down the hall.

As I turn and start going upstairs I hear Paige as she tosses the keys to Spencer, "Do what you guys need to do" she says and it only annoys me further.

* * *

I go straight to her room and sit myself on her bed, replaying how one second she's holding me close and the next she's pushing me off. How she was so suddenly open with Spencer just seconds after actually standing near me again. She enters only seconds after me as she closes her door and looks at me.

"What was that Paige?"

"What was what?" she asks and I can't believe how innocent it sounds. She honestly doesn't know what I'm talking about.

"Well not only could you not bear to be anywhere near me the last hour but then Spencer is suddenly your best friend?!"

"She's not my best friend Emily" she says calmly as she walks towards me a little.

"Well you're certainly happier around her than me at the moment" I reply and I know she heard my tone this time.

"We… we have an understanding that's all" she says and I can't believe she's ignored the point yet again. She steps closer and tries to take my hands in hers. I stand quick and move out of her way as I recall how only moments before she was refusing to take my own touch.

"Oh I don't care about Spencer. I want you two to get on… but what was all that outside!?" I ask and I see her sigh.

She drops herself to the edge of her bed and my annoyance lowers a little into concern as she shows how racked with emotions she is. She had on her 'steely, strong front' but it's slowly caving in and it makes me feel guilty for being angry.

"Paige, I just want to know why you where being like that… I mean whatever reason is, just tell me." I say as I take a step towards her, still leaving a little distance still between us.

"Reasons…." She clarifies. "It's two fold". She says and I couldn't be more confused. She looks up and reaches out for my hands. I give in and take them in mine as she sits me down next to her. "I need to tell you something…."


	13. Chapter 13

Update... finally i know! And it's a lil shorted but I wanted to let you guys know that I have not in anyway given up on this! and thank you to those who started asking as it got me back into writing :-) a slight filler chapter I guess but once again the big action's just around the corner and I think we all need a bit of Paily cuteness in the mean time.

I'll update as soon as poss, honest! But please keep reviewing etc as it honestly helps to know what y'all think! :-)

* * *

Chapter 13 - Paiges POV:

"...It doesn't change anything for me Em."

"But they did… that. At you?"

"I think so. I'm pretty sure…"

And five minutes later, we're still sat in silence. Emily is whiter than I've seen her for a while, if ever and her hands tremble lightly in mine.

After revealing what she didn't see -A do last night, I can see her replaying my words over and over, her eyes shooting to me and then away again. I watch, wait and just let her take everything in. I can see she's worried and scared just like I thought she would be but I also know I was right in telling her. That Spencer was right in giving me the push I needed to tell her sooner rather than later, so once I see her calm a little, I continue.

"I'm sorry for acting like that on the way here. I didn't mean to, I just…. I said it's two fold for a reason." I start as she looks up. "One, I can't keep stuff from you and I couldn't walk down the street hand in hand knowing that I hadn't told you. It just didn't feel right." I try to explain and see her sigh a little.

From time to time I can't quite work out what she's thinking and it's driving me mad because I _always_ know what's going through her head. And then I realise, it's fear. It's that look I've seen her hold before, that expression she suddenly shakes off whenever I've approached her and her friends… before I knew what it was that caused it, caused that very same look she holds now.

And even though she's worried, I know I have to try and keep explaining myself and what I truly think we have to do.

"But more importantly, -As whole thing right now is that they don't want us together. They want me out of the picture and the fact that we're all walking through town together is not going to look like we're complying. I mean, if I understand all this right it seems like there is always someone watching... I'm not going to walk hand in hand with you if it puts you in danger Em. Whether it was me, you or both of us that that action was for, if me backing off keeps you safe then i'll do it. It doesn't mean that I don't love you and it isn't killing me…

"No Paige, that's not how this is going to go" she suddenly interrupts.

She sits up straight and holds my hands tighter. "I'm done with complying. I was over that a long time ago. We do what they want and we still get screwed with. We're still made to look guilty of something we didn't do, we still hurt people around us and loose the one's we love. I'm done with it. I won't hide away, not from being with you. I can't." she adds, starting so strong and confident but ending up with a slight tremor to her voice as I cave in at her heartfelt words.

"Em…" I release with a breath and try to get her to look at me, her eyes dropping to our hands as soon as she gets emotional.

"Ergh, I just hate this" she says, standing quick and running her hands through her hair.

I can see her internal fight. She knows I have a point but I knew instantly with the way she so quickly protested, that she isn't going to be pressured into hiding again.

And then there it is once more, that look of fear as she looks back to me for a split second, as if trying to make sure I'm still there, obviously remembering the revelation of -As action. She tries to shake off her emotions as she paces my room a little before walking to the window, looking out on the back yard. She folds her arms over her chest and I hear her take a deep, frustrated breath as I sit on my bed just a second longer. I can't even imagine what it's like for her, having dealt with all this for so long. I just feel like I'm going to end up saying or doing the wrong thing. But I stand anyway and make my way towards her as she has her arms wrapped around herself, her gaze intently fixed to the sky.

"Em.." I whisper as I gently come up behind her and place my hands on her shoulders.

Thankfully she doesn't flinch or pull away, but unfolds her arms and pulls my arms around her instead. She takes my hands in hers and wraps them over her shoulders and around her front, pulling me into her back and links her fingers in mine. She leans back into me and even though she's just a little taller than me, her action allows me to rest my chin on her shoulder and hold her close.

It's funny, how holding her so close can once again remind me how often I'd dreamt about this, and yet right now every bone in my body wants to pull away. Wants to somehow force myself to keep a safe distance from Emily and not allow anything to happen to her… But even as I think it, nausea rolls through me at the thought of not being able to hold her like this.

She must sense it, like she always does. I feel her breathe deep and she turns around in my hold, unlinking our fingers but taking my wrists and ensuring my arms stay looped around her neck as she lets go and gently places her hands on my hips.

"Stop thinking…" she breathes and instantly I feel like I've been dropped ten feet.

The intensity of her gaze with us only inches apart… it alone causes shivers to roll over my skin. Only heightened when she moves closer and pulls my hips gently into hers, wrapping her arms around my waist and holding me close as she rests her forehead on mine. I can't help my eyes falling shut as all my senses are suddenly engulfed by her. I try to take a breath and once again attempt to say why we need to stay low key, but the only sound that's heard is the moan that leaves my lips as hers are suddenly on mine, tenderly halting any further words.

One of her hands leaves my waist and returns on my cheek, her other pressing flat into the small of my back as her mouth once again envelopes mine, this time receiving more reciprocation as my hands slide into her hair and I kiss her back with just as much intention. It's slow but intense, loving. She brushes her nose over mine and tilts her head to the other side as she kisses me once, twice, three times more before she pulls back and rests her forehead back on mine.

Her hand still placed on my cheek radiates warmth and I sigh into her touch, feeling even worse about deliberately separating myself from her on the way here and thinking we should continue to do so. I know all intentions of that are now lost. They were forgotten the instant she protested, my ever constant need to give her a way out, as always bring rebuffed. But something inside of me, still wants to ensure she knows what us staying so public would really mean. I gradually open my eyes and already find her looking back at me. She smiles just a little and knows before I even speak…

"I just think…."

"I know" she interrupts as she pulls back just a few inches so that we can see each other entirely."I know… but I'm not going to hide away from being with you."

And the decision is made. I'm sure I knew it all along, that she'd never want me to back off or hide away with me. The latter was our entire problem when we first got to know each other better and the thought of those feelings resurfacing makes me feel physically ill. Half of me can't help but be so thankful that it wasn't even a question in Emily's mind. I know she notices my smile and knows exactly what I'm thinking, but also what I'm worrying about…

"Look, you know now and they know that. Us keeping away from each other no longer means you'll be safer. Whatever that action meant, the games changed for them and it's better if we stick together. I won't let anything happen to you." she pauses as she holds my gaze as if ensuring that I hear her and what she's saying.  
"When they saw us together last night, I think my decision would have been obvious to whoever is trying to threaten us. It isn't going to make any difference now. And even if it did..." she smirks slowly, a firery glint returning to her eyes. "It would just mean we would never leave your house again…" she adds with a smile, giggling lightly at the implication.

"Hmmm, well we might just have to do that anyway" I add, smiling as she pulls me close, giggling as she presses her lips into mine and yet again, she kisses it all away.

* * *

Emilys POV:

"…Thirty second warning!"

"Oh jheese" I sigh as Paige chuckles next to me. "you know she's never going to let this go right?" I roll my eyes, questioning Paige as she giggles after hearing the yell from downstairs.

"Give it a rest Marrin! What d'you want?" Paige shouts back as we continue to lay on her bed.

Both of us looking up to the ceiling, our hands tracing each others at our sides, just like at our unknowingly ill-fated picnic. And through the closed bedroom door, still in the distance, we hear a her voice getting a little louder.

"Well Spencer said to… you know what _I actually_ want!? To know where the hell your damn room is McCullers!?" Hanna shouts as she gets to the top of the stairs, her voice louder and we both laugh.

"We'll play hot and cold, see how long it takes you…" Paige shouts back, smirking my direction as we wait and hear a few more steps.

"Say something then, we'll tell you if you're getting warmer" I join in, laughing as we hear another frustrated sigh from the hallway.

"I'll flipping say something in a minute!" Hanna shouts back sounding irritated as we giggle, picturing her walking around Paige's landing having no idea which room to try.

Slowly Paiges laugh lowers as she rolls on her side to look at me. "Well if she thought she was walking in on something last time, we can always prove her how wrong she was…" Paige smirks.

I gasp and feign shock before leaning up on my elbows, bringing us closer. After everything that's happened, after what she revealed this morning, All I want to do is make sure she's safe, be close to her and right now that's all that matters.

"Now who's winding who up exactly?" I ask with the grin still forming across my face. Whether she's trying to wind Hanna up or me it isn't clear, but either way I couldn't care.

I rise my eyebrow a little as she smirks and leans in. We both know that this is nothing like her, or us really, to deliberately get closer when others are just outside. We've barely done anything more than hold hands in public but it's like my earlier confirmation that I didn't want to hide away or for her to stay away from me, has finally sunk in and she remembers yet again that what we have is real.

It's gradually decreased but ever since we've been together it's like she's been waiting for me to leave her, and now I think we both feel that that worry is gone. Life has grown inordinately serious in such a short amount of time, and yet here we both are. She knows that I'm not going anywhere and I know that even with everything she now knows, she's here to stay. I watch her eyes searching my face, flicking between my eyes, nose, mouth and back again. And it dawns on me that I should have been honest with her from the start. Looking into her eyes now, I know hiding things only ever put a distance between us that we weren't even aware of. Now everything's out in the open, it's like our trust in each other has been renewed and right now, she feels like the safest place I could possibly be.

"Paige…" I breathe out just as she starts to lean in, looking a little concerned at my stopping her. "I love you." I add as she sighs into a beaming smile and raises her hand gently to my cheek.

"Yeah yeah, she loves you to… Jesus McCullers, you live in a freaking maze!"

And with that, the door's swung open and Hanna's suddenly plonked herself on the bed beside us. Paiges sweeps her thumb over my cheek before kissing me quick, smiling wide.

"Well you didn't manage to lose yourself for long enough actually!" she winks my direction as she stands and walks across her room.

"Erm… what did Spencer want?" I start as I shake my head to try and clear my thoughts, sitting up and turning slightly to Hanna.

"Hang on a sec…" she points to me and I roll my eyes, knowing it's going to take forever to actually know what she came up here for. "Why on earth, after everything we've talked about, have I not been here before!?"

I see Paige laugh even though her back is turned and it's like she's been waiting for that question. She turns slowly, ensuring to keep a straight face as Hanna stares at her.

"For your own safety my dear. You know… I was worried you'd get lost and all" She replies but can't help the smirk pulling across her face before she finishes and turns around again.

Hanna scowls into the back of her and I laugh lightly. Reaching out to Hanna, I place my hand on her shoulder and turn her attentions back to me.

"What did Spencer say to do, what did she want?"

"Oh yeah, right. Who knows… she was trying to explain something to Aria in the yard and knew she wasn't getting anywhere so said we needed you guys. I took the opportunity to escape!" she half explains, not actually revealing anything as she stands and starts to explore Paiges room.

A room I've always loved... It's one of the smallest rooms in the house and Paige loves that. Hanna is right, she does live in a maze. It's nearly as big as Spencers and I'm sure I still don't know what every room is for. But her room is different to any of the others. One wall is full of books and art and music, all the things she uses to escape from reality. It's one of the things that surprised me the most when I first came here, the way that wall takes more attention than any of her trophies or sporting achievements that line the opposite side. They're cared for obviously, and treasured in many instances. But it's like her bedroom itself shows the exact opposites that are Paige. One side is competitive and fiercely driven to be the best at whatever she does. Whilst the other side is creative and searching, contemplative and dreaming for something a little less like reality.

Her bed sits in the centre of the room and is always covered in the pale, sky blue quilt she says is her favourite. Her desk sits to the edge and was impeccably neat the first few times I came over. Everything so in order I started to think it was always that way. But my initial thought at her trying to keep everything pristine for when I was there, was proved right a month or so after we were back together. I dropped round to see her and her desk could barely be seen. Books and paper and folders thrown everywhere. The rest of her room still neat but an explosion on her desk and I couldn't hold my laugh as she came back to her room after getting us drinks and her face dropped. Just for a second she looked crushed that her perfect little set up had been ruined, but then she shrugged and smiled.

_"Oh well, now you're in for it. You've seen a glimpse of what happens when my packrat tendencies overload…"_

I laughed and couldn't help thinking that once again I'd seen a little more of the true Paige McCullers. Someone I'd come to love far quicker than I'd assumed possible and the side of her that I now always see.

"Em… where d'you go?" Paiges voice suddenly enters my head as I see her standing in front of me. Hanna is looking at me from the other side of the room and I realise I haven't heard a word that was said.

"Sorry, just thinking that's all…" I say, smiling as Hanna turns back around to scan Paiges music collection whilst Paige searches me for more. "Honest… Common, let's go find the others" I add, taking Paige's hand in mine and leaving her room with Hanna close behind.

Turning through the landing and to the stairs, Hanna starts on Paige again about why she's never been invited round and I smile once again at the fact they get on so well. Paige can take Hannas sarcasm and shoot back in an instant but she also knows the true Hanna. The kind, caring and overtly protective sides that only her close friends ever truly know.  
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I'm about to turn around and way in on the topic before Spencer and Aria come bundling in from the kitchen.

"What, what's going on?" I ask as Paige and Hanna come to a stop behind me, all of us instantly seeing the worried expressions they hold

Aria looks back to Spencer and swallows hard. Spencer takes a step towards us and looks at each of us in turn, settling on Paige for longer than the rest. Taking a deep breath she says.

"We found something".


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 - Emily POV:

_It's so quiet, yet as I run as fast as my legs'll move, each sound I hear is deafening. The cracks of twigs on the forest floor that snap under my feet, the rush as branches and leafs whip past me and I dodge between them, the gasps of my own chest heaving as I try to catch my breath and never lose speed. I'm running, chasing as fast as I can and yet it still feels like everything is in slow motion._

_'I can't believe I let this happen' I think as continue to run, finally seeing the school come into view. _

_Everything had happened so fast. One second I was reminiscing about Paige and I in her room, winding Hanna up and waiting for Spencer to reveal whatever she had 'found', and now I'm here. Just mere hours later, running as fast as I can muster, dreading what's happening and praying I could turn back time…_

"Found what… found something here?!" Paige questioned, suddenly sounding worried as her and Hanna reach the bottom of her stairs to join me.

"Yes, outside" Spencer replies as she turns and we all follow.

"It must have been overnight, I mean… I think A came back…" Aria says as they filter outside and across to the pool.

My stomach churns but as I look to Paige, I can see she's feeling worse. In some sick way, I'm used to this feeling. I don't enjoy it and it doesn't make it any less dreadful, but we've experienced the utter terror so many times, that it at least doesn't stop me breathing as often as it used to. Whereas Paige, Paige was still new to this. Thankfully in some ways, but right now I can see she's not breathing. She putting one foot in front of the other, breath holding the entire way. I step back just slightly, letting Hanna in front as I move behind and take Paiges hand in mine. She flinches initially as we all continue to follow Spencer around the edge of her pool, but she quickly takes my hand in hers and holds tight.

I begin to wonder where we're heading but as we approach the pool side chairs, the ones we'd sat on so many times, just enjoying being able to be together on our own, I saw something so obviously out of place.

"Oh my God." Falls from Hanna's mouth before any of us speak.

There, sitting effortlessly on the cushions alongside a sheet of upturned paper, is a blood bag, full to the brim. The clip on the top has been unfastened and a little of the contents now stains the seat. The bright red liquid turning dark brown as it's seeped and dried in. But the contents none the less, very obviously blood. I recognize the bag as any standard hospital blood bag and can't' take my eyes off it. Even in the mid day clouds, the red colour of it just seems brighter than anything else within my vision, bone chillingly so.

"So I guess that answers the question whether it was real…"Hanna mumbles and it pulls me out of my daze. I turn to Paige and see her eyes fixated just the same.

"Not really. I don't think it could have been real… but I think this makes the point blunt enough" Spencer replies and Paige finally looks away from the bag.

"Erm… what now?" Paige asks with that look of uncertainty.

We've all had it... Aria with the red coat, Hanna with the wiji board, me with the postcards and even Spencer with the once buried hockey stick amongst many others... The not wanting to move or touch something, that in itself is harmless, because you know how it got there.

"We found it like this, but you should read this..." Aria answers as she moves forwards and picks up the sheet of paper.

She turns and extends her hand, unsure of who to pass it to. We both stutter but suddenly Paige moves forward and takes it from her. I can see it in Paiges face… the anger slowly building that someone had once again invaded her home and whoever it was remained unknown. She stands slightly to the side and I watch as she lifts the note and her eyes scan back and forth. They slowly widen and I visibly see the colour drain from her face as she turns a deathly white. I quickly move to her side and read the note for myself.

_The first was lost oh so young._

_The second should have held her tongue._

_The third I have within my sight,_

_She fell for you and sure, she'll fight._

_But hard she'll fall and down she'll stay,_

_You could've saved her, but it's now my day._

"What the hell…?" Hanna suddenly asks having moved to peer over our shoulders and I read it once, twice, three more times before it clicks…

"We'll be fine. I swear to you Paige, You… we'll be just fine. It's nothing" I say as I turn to Paige and take her hands in mine.

Spencer and Aria standing to our sides, remain silent. They've clearly already understood what this means, but Hanna still stands next to us with a frown. She takes the note from Paige and reads it over again whilst I squeeze Paiges hands and try to reassure her, feeling the nausea burn in my stomach the entire time.

"Sure, nothing… just like all the other times" She says quietly and I know she knows that this can't be brushed off as some stupid rhyme.

"Sorry… what the hell is that meant to mean?!" Hanna questions turning to Spencer and then back to me. "The first to third, the falling and saving…?"

"It's for me…" I reply as she frowns, both Spencer and Aria looking down slightly, "… and Paige" I add.

"What… how?" Hanna asks a little quieter, worry evident in her voice.

I look at Paige and know she understands. She worked it out quicker than me and I can see her processing every word over and over, plans already being formed in her mind.

"The first…" I start to explain, "was Ali. The second was Maya. And the third…" I pause as I swallow hard.

"Is me" Paige finishes as everyone turns abruptly to her as she lowers the note and looks back to us all.

"You?" Hanna asks, slowly catching on.

"Yes. Ali was the first person Em ever…." Paige starts but pauses, looking to me as if asking if it's ok to say the words, but I don't let her. She doesn't need those words to ever leave her lips.

"…She made me realise I was hiding who I was." I finish, making it clear what I mean as Hanna nods lightly in realisation. "Maya, I guess it means the second person I ever really liked… she told people she had a stalker and that she thought they were in town. It's what got her killed." I trail off as my voice cracks a little.

I feel guilty somehow, for still getting upset and in front of Paige. But she gently threads her fingers through mine and I know she understands.

"The third is me" she continues, finishing for me. "Emily was warned that she wouldn't be with anyone else. We were told to stay apart but we haven't. I love Emily and will fight for what we have, no matter what" Paige states, finding her steely resolve and I can't help but smile lightly.

I squeeze her hand and ignore the nausea that fills my stomach at the notion that she _would_ do anything… and the likelihood of that determination putting her in trouble.

"Okay… but how do we know that this is even from A? I mean, they didn't hurt Maya, that was Nate/Lyndon! I mean, how are we sure?" Hanna questions.

"Erm…" Spencer mumbles after coughing lightly to get our attention.

She bends and carefully clicks the connection at the top of the blood bag closed before picking it up. She holds the top gingerly between two fingers, the front label facing her before she turns it around to us.

And there it is, big black letters on bright white paper.

**Blood Type = A+**

* * *

Paiges POV

A few hours later and I eventually close my front door. Aria, Hanna and Spencer having finally decided it was ok to leave, Emily was here after all. It was sweet that they wanted to stay but there's only so many times you can hear '_safety in numbers'_ without replying '_yeah, cos that's worked really well for you before…_'.

So after some persuasion from Emily, they realised we might need some time and decided to head home. It's been agreed that slumber nights are now the plan. Aria stated 'slumber party' wasn't exactly appropriate but either way, looks like I won't be having a restful nights sleep for a while. Emily and I obviously plan to see if we can stay together at hers, even if I end up sleeping on the sofa. But if we can't manage it without causing too much suspicion, then the other girls were nice enough to say I'm welcome at there's...

The thing is, it feels so strange that they're all involved. This feels like it's about me. It's about getting me out of Emily's life and yet they're all here within an instant and it unnerves me. Just weeks ago they were blanking me and I try not to even think what it was like when Alison was around…

"It's just strange that's all…" I say as I try to explain it to Emily.

"Well…" she starts as she walks towards me and gently places her hands on my shoulders. "… this is called having true friends. They're not just here for me Paige. They'd be here for you even if it had nothing to do with me."

"Hmmm, if you say so" I mumble, trying to avoid her searching eyes because somehow, when I look into them, I believe her.

"Hey… I wouldn't lie to you Paige." She says as I look up and relent, trying to believe her and shake the strangeness of actually having people stick up for me as I slowly wrap my arms around her waist. I pull her just a little closer and see her smirk and she giggles, "Honestly, they're never going to leave us alone now, so you'd better get used to it." and I laugh too.

I slowly lean my forehead to hers and her hands link at the back of my neck and her giggle lowers into her devilish smirk.

"Won't leave us alone… best make the most of it then" I reply seeing her eyes lower instantly to my lips.

It's something that's never changed. Even with everything that's going on around us. No matter how awful or scary it is, one strategically timed smirk or heartfelt confession from Emily, and it seems to fade away. Atleast for that moment, it's the last thing on my mind.

I can feel her hot breath leave her lips and roll across mine. Everything in my body is always craving to be with her, but having her close intensifies every nerve and makes my skin slowly burn. I can't shake the nausea that lingers in my stomach at the worry of everything that's happening, but as she looks down, it fades and is replaced by the pure rush of seeing Emily lean in.

"_Girls… we run this mother_!" suddenly blares out from Emilys phone, Hanna having thought it was hilarious to set that as her ring tone.

"I'm going to kill her" I mouth against Emilys lips as she sighs out a giggle but is just as annoyed at the interruption.

"Ergh, I love them and everything but their timing sucks" she mumbles against my neck as she drops her forehead to my shoulder in defeat. But the action only reignites the lust burning under my skin.

"Well maybe…." I start as I trace my hands from her hips, around her back and continue to lower one hand. She raises her head as her eyes widen slightly, smirking as I reach into her back pocket for her phone, our eyes locked as I continue. "…Maybe their timing'll improve if they realize they really _are_ interrupting"

I finish and manage to see her smirk just before my lips hit hers. I can't help the pressure put behind the kiss, I just want to forget everything for at least a second and revel in everything Emily makes me feel… but that desire is impossible to carry through when you've got '_who run the world_?!' blaring from your hand… I lift it behind her head and try to shut it off. A moan however escapes my mouth as she smirks and sweeps her tongue over my bottom lip and wraps her arms slowly around my neck. Her intention to ignore the call just as obvious as mine, I open my eyes a little to concentrate on shutting it off and suddenly jump back.

"Ow… jheeze" she mumbles, fingers rising to her lip as she looks at me confused.

"God sorry…" I say as she lowers her hand, my biting her lip as I pulled away not having been what she expected. "Sorry, but it's you mum!"

* * *

Emily POV:

After quick one word answers, mumbled replies and a frustrated end to the conversation, I'd realised there was no way out of it. Mum wanted me home. Stating she knew I wanted to spend time with my friends but it would be nice if we could at least have dinner together. Having asked if I could then sleep over with the girls, the deal was made and I had to relent to leaving Paige. I was about to ask mum if Paige could come before Paige stopped me, reading my mind as ever. Insisting I needed time with my mum, to not draw attention to something being wrong if nothing else.

Before I left we'd planned to meet in just a few hours and I walked out laughing at my new text and ring tone set just for her, insisting Beyonce was fine but there was no way that every time she rang me I'd think about Hanna. I'd laughed, taken her phone from her bag, setting my own personal tone and kissed her quick as I left.

She was right, spending dinner just Mum and I had been good. Great for about the first ten minutes actually, but after that I'd spent every minute staring out the windows to look for something that wasn't there. Wishing the entire time that I was with Paige so that at least I knew that whatever was happening, we were together…

Having just about managed to get through dinner without giving anything away, I rush upstairs to pack things for overnight but hear my phone and quickly pull it out, hearing instantly it's Paige.

_Can't stand it at home. Meet me at ?_

_No interruptions can't be a bad thing?_

Instantly my stomach drops. It's a bad idea. We swore we wouldn't split up and going out of town seems so far from the plan but there's no way I'm saying no. At least I can go out there and we can come back together. It obviously all got too much once she was on her own and I can't pack the last few things quick enough before I rush out the door without really giving the text a second look.

Fifteen minutes later and I'm no further than a five minute walk from home. Roadworks on the edge of town have blocked the entire street and even though it's late, it's murder to get through. They wrap around the side of the town, past the back of the school and the woods that surround us. My stomachs churning the entire time, something just doesn't feel right. Finally seeing the end of the roadworks coming into view, I step on the gas and rush to the karaoke bar of our completely unexpected first, sort of, date. But seeing the lights from the roadworks and other traffic disappear in my rear view, I find my foot subconsciously lifting off the gas. Something still doesn't feel right and I'm finally listening to it.

Remembering the '_Ring me ok, I want to hear your voice'_ plead from Paige as I left, I know that text wasn't right. I slowly pull the car over and take out my phone, about to re-read the text as I jump out my skin as it rings in my hands.

"Hey Spence… you ok?" I ask as I catch my breath, head buzzing at the sudden change in thoughts.

"Yeah Em fine, just wondered… is Paige with you?" she asks and I can already hear the tone in her voice. The tone where she's trying to hide her concern…

"No, I was on my way to her but I started to think… hang on. Why'd you ask?"

"I'm at her house Em, she's not here"

"Oh…. Well I think she's headed out of town, I got a text. At least I think so…." I mumble, slowly feeling the sense of dread taking hold.

"What do you mean you think?"

"I don't know I just… why were you worried that she wasn't at home?"

"D'you think she would have gone swimming? Because her kit was by the back door earlier and it's not here now. I walked around the back and it's not where it was… maybe she just went to swim…" she questions, trying to sound calm even though it's obvious she's not.

"No Spencer, it's 9.30. She has a pool in her back yard and she swore she wouldn't go anywhere without me. Why are you trying to sound so calm, what are you thinking?"

"I was just thinking it all over and I realised that if this was me, if I was in Paige's position, I'd probably do something stupid. I'd try to fight it on my own or protect whoever I could by myself… we all know I've done it before." She pauses as I remember and can't believe how we all got her intentions so wrong. "So I came over to check…. But she's not here. I phoned all the others, she's not with them either Emily. She's gone."

With that I click the phone to speaker and am spinning the car around as quick as I can. I knew something was wrong and now I know there's no way she's out of town. It doesn't make sense, I just pray that she's decided to walk around town, go to mine or something…

"I'm on my way back, I'm by the end of the wood trail… Damn road works!" I vent in frustration as I see the lights from other traffic in the distance.

"Look, meet us here. I'll ring the others and tell them, but Emily where do we look?"

"Hang on… her kit's not by the back door?" I suddenly remember

"No, not where it was earlier. Unless she moved it when you were with her?"

"I think i know where she is. God knows why but get the others and meet me at school just in case."

"Okay." She pauses as I move one more car's length forward, still stuck in heavy traffic on the outskirts of town. "Em… do you have as bad a feeling about this as I do?" she mumbles but I hear her loud and clear.

"Yeah, yeah I do"…

Just minutes later and I've had enough. In the distance I can see the exit to the trail Paige and I run every weekend. It leads straight through the woods to the back of school and at this rate, it'll be twice as quick as driving. Without a seconds thought I ram my car up onto the side of the road, jump out and click it shut over my shoulder as I start to run.

* * *

Paige POV:

Throwing my school swim kit over my shoulder as I walk through the school car park and around to the back of the gym, the street and school security lights guide my way. Oddly enough, Emily's text half an hour early had come as light relief…

'_Need to get away. Swimming at yours didn't work,_

_How about school? See you there'_

It was a relief for sure, if Emily was happy enough for us to meet at school like we used to and get some time out from all this A drama, then maybe things weren't as bad as I'd been thinking. She was more used to this then me and maybe I've been playing it all up too much in my head…

It still feels a little off though. She'd been nearly impossible to convince to go home and now we're meeting on our own… but I shake it off and just concentrate on the fact I get to see her. As I reach the forever broken gym door, I slide the latch across and gently pull it open. It never fails to surprise me how many doors are broken or left unlocked in this town… But this misgiving has certainly been helpful, having enabled Emily and I to let off steam once in a while.

As the door closes behind me, I realise how the street lights really were giving me my only visibility. I unlock my phone and use it as a torch as I walk gingerly across the gym and slowly wish I'd text back Emily and told her to meet me outside instead of just coming straight here. Leaving the main lights off to not let the entire town know we're inside when we clearly shouldn't be, I continue to make my way through the gym and finally reach the other side, opening out onto the hall ways not far from our lockers. As I turn as shine my phone, seeing the pool changing room doors ahead, I take a slow look back to the screen.

Something feels wrong. We'd sworn we'd phone, I told her I wanted, needed to hear to voice but hadn't thought about it at the time. We come here so often, and the relief of some normality had washed over me and suddenly I was here without thinking it through. I continue to walk, slowing slightly as I reach the changing rooms and push the doors open, calling out to Emily and hearing my voice echo straight back at me. Swallowing hard I re-read the text, reassuring myself it was Emily that had text me so I continue to walk. Moving through the changing rooms and onto poolside, the moonlight and streetlights flicker on the water as they beam in lightly from the windows that line the sides of the pool. It doesn't give me enough light to see properly though but as I drop my bag to the side, I'm sure no one else is here. I hit speed dial on my phone, wondering how I'm here before Emily but suddenly music blares and echos through the pool, sending shivers through my skin.

I snap around and search for the sound, sure I'll find Emily on the other end as her ring tone continues to play. I didn't expect to hear it so close by and my hearts racing. The echo seems as loud as thunder and bounces off every wall, confusing me as to where it's coming from but then I see the light. A white light flashing on and off every few seconds and it's obvious it's the phone. But why…

'_What the hell's going on?_' I ask myself as I continue to watch the light flash on and off, watch it lighting up the ceiling with each flash. Watching it light up the ceiling and the metal stairs, the stairs and the concrete platforms. Lighting up the platforms and the springboards as the diving boards come into view every time the light flashes from the top of the 10m platform. '_Seriously, what the hell'_ I mouth once more.

I keep staring up for three more flashes as I realise the phone is still ringing. It's on continuous repeat when it should have turned to answer phone by now... _'where the hell is Emily…'_ I look back to my screen completely confused. I know I'm right, it's her ring tone, her speed dial, her number….

"Oh God." Escapes my mouth, this time audible as I watch her name appear over and over on my screen.

Underneath is the photo of us that's been in place for months. Butt under her name, where the caller number usually rolls, reads 'Blocked ID'

I knew it, I've been played and I mentally slap myself at being fooled so easy. I look around the pool seeing and hearing nothing but that phone still playing on the top board. I don't know how Emily's phone is up there or even if it's actually her's but can see no other option… Confused as hell, I leave the phone to keep ringing and slowly let my feet walk me in it's direction, looking around and listening out the entire time.

* * *

Finally seeing the school come into sight, I keep sprinting across the field, leaving the woods behind and praying my feet to keep moving. Suddenly though, I start to slow as my phone buzzes in my hand…

I open the message and there's an attached photo that I can't make out but the text is crystal clear.

_She fell hard the first time,_

_Diving for fun and diving for you._

_But this time, it's more than a few lose screws…._

'_This cannot be happening'_ I think as my feet halt completely and I focus on the attached photo.

It's Paige.

It's dark and grainy but she's as clear as day to me. The only other thing recognizable is a single white sign in the background that I've seen every day for the past five years. '10m Board'

Before I know it I'm crashing through the changing room doors and rushing to poolside, worrying over and over about why Paige would be going up so high and the fact that A was obviously watching. They had something to do with this and it only gives me the strength to move faster.

As I hit the poolside I slip on the tiles, eventually regaining my balance as I hear the tone eerily ringing in the background. It's combined with the flash of a white light every few seconds and that's when I see her. Craning my neck to see, every few seconds her figure becomes more and more focused. Paige, on the end of the 10m board, slowly approaching the light in what seems like jolting movements as she's lit up and then disappears.

Hearing the personal ring tone she'd set echo around the pool whilst my phone is in my hand only adds to my confusion and it's then that my heart stops. With yet another flash of the phone, Paige is picking it up but something else becomes clearer.

Someone else.

I try to shout but my voice cracks in my throat as I feel my body start to shake. I feel like I'm frozen to the spot. She must have heard something because in the next flash, she's standing and looking down at me with pure confusion. My eye line however goes straight past her and to the figure now closing in.

One light, two light, three lights, they get large and larger as they walk up to Paige and suddenly, it all goes quiet. The music stops. The light fades and I finally move.

"Paige, watch out!"

* * *

**_Sorry Sorry Sorry! I know this has taken such a long time and I'm not totally happy with it but it's been half finished for over a month and I had to update. This was always the planned ending and I want to get it out before the next episode so I'll hopefully update this weekend, just a couple of chapters left. Thank you so much if you're still reading! I have a second fic started, something completely different, that'll go up after this has finished.  
Let me know what u think, contact me as usual! And happy 'return of pll' to ya'll! season 4 here we come :-)_**


	15. Chapter 15

Chp 15 - Em POV:

A light from outside suddenly flicks on, followed by another and another as the ring tone begins to play again. The lights coming on in other parts of the school scarcely registers but brighten the pool slightly and allow me to see what the barely flashing light shows only every few seconds. It's still dimmed, only outlines mostly but as I scream for her to watch out, it's as if my focus turns to high definition and I see it all happen so clearly.

She understands my shout immediately and spins on her heels to look behind. But she only gets half way around before I see the figure step fully behind her. Gloved hands hit her shoulders hard and suddenly she's falling. It all happens in slow motion, painfully slow as I watch the hooded figure step forward with extra venom and finish the shove, forcing Paige meters away from the end of the board before she begins to lose control. It's all happened so quick that she can't halt the spinning of her body and I watch as she tumbles and rolls over in the air.

The thing is, land in water from that height correctly and it's fine, land incorrectly and uncontrolled… it's like falling on concrete. I know it's only been seconds but the breath caught in my lungs burns as I can do nothing but watch her fall, just like A promised, before she hits the water hard at a completely twisted angle.

The sound is deafening as she hits the water side on, arms in the air as her chest and side hit and the crack of her body echos around the pool. She disappears and water crashes up into the air. My eyes follow the water splashing high and for some reason raise just a little higher, and then I see them. The figure still on the high board, dark and unrecognizable, peering over the edge and into the water and my blood runs cold. The hooded person starts to move but my eyes are instantly drawn back to the water. It's then that my feet stutter to move.

I can't see her. It's too dark, the boards only having been lit just enough because of the windows that surround the top of the gallery. The moonlight reflects off the water and I can't see anything except the ripples that line the surface.

"Paige…!?" I'm screaming suddenly and before I can control it, I'm running.

Just steps from the edge I register the hall lights turning on behind me. Throughout the school, lights are turning on and getting closer by the second. As I run full speed, I pray that it's someone that can help and that the others may even be here by now. With my last step I take one last look and finally see her. Paige's body a dark, crumbled shape sinking to the bottom and settling, heavy and unmoving. My feet grip to the poolside even in my trainers and I push hard, launching myself from the side and into the water.

Opening my eyes instantly, everything is a blur. I've entered just shy from where Paige fell and the water is still a crashing mess. Spray, ripples and bubbles everywhere, scattering the limited light at every angle as I blink hard. Slowly I see it, I see her. A black blur at the bottom of the pool and suddenly I realise it's pulsating. Every few second she's appears before vanishing as that mysterious phone obviously having been in her hand, continues to light up just once, twice more, allowing me to focus on Paige before it relents to the water and goes dark.

It's darker now but it doesn't matter. I know Paige and I know I'll get to her. Something in me tells me I'd find her even if it was pitch black and I had to search all night. There's no way I'm going anywhere but down and I'd swim to the end of the earth to find her.  
But that determination doesn't stop my lungs burning as I squint and kick hard. Sweeping my arms forward and pulling back hard again and again as I dive downwards, directly to where I last saw her and reach out. Hitting the tiles with my hands, I feel the scratch of the floor and want to scream in frustration and terror as I search around without any success.

Suddenly I feel something. I feel her. I grab two handfuls of her clothes as I pull hard and duck my feet to the floor. I pull her into me as slowly the water seems to brighten. Somehow, somewhere the lights are turning on and whether it's my senses awakening or help arriving, it doesn't matter. It's enough for me to see Paige through the blur and pull her flush into me as I grasp around her waist and push hard off the floor.

She's a dead weight in my arms and I'm going nowhere. I kick as hard as I can but for every two, I'm falling back one and I'm finally out of air. My head spins and my eyes feel like they start to roll as I hold onto Paige tight and feel my lungs push up against my rips, trying to force my body to gasp for air. I take a huge gulp of water but refuse to give in. There's only a few meters left and even if it takes everything I have, I won't give in.

I won't give up. Not on her, not on us.

I wrap my right arm tighter around her as I let go with my left and pull hard through the water. With one last kick, I suck a huge gasp of air, finally breaking the surface and my entire body ignites on fire. I can feel my lungs bursting against my rip cage with every wheeze. Every gulp of air kick starting the worst pain I've ever felt in every bone, vein and organ of my body, everything crying out for oxygen.

But within seconds it ceases to matter, all I can feel is the dead weight still in my arms…

* * *

They say she's fine.

She's not. She's far from fine. I'm far from fine.

They keep telling me it'll all be ok, '_you'll see'_ they say. Like they have any idea what I'm feeling, what she's feeling. What we've been through...

Just thinking about it all terrifies me and I couldn't be more exhausted. I keep my fingers linked with hers, rest my head on my arms and look up to her. I haven't moved. Not in 48 hours have I left this hospital room. She's broken four ribs on her right side from her crash into the water. They say that that's why she nearly drowned, or in their words, why she's so lucky to have survived drowning. They tell me she may have been fine if she hadn't hit the water at the angle she did, but the impact smashed her ribs instantly and probably knocked her out considering the bruised right eye she's also showing. They say that she would've gasped in pain and took on water meaning she had no chance to get to the surface.

Squidged up next to her hospital bed, watching her chest rise and fall with every breath. I thank whatever, whoever is out there every time she takes a breath, so close to thinking I wouldn't see it again. Watching her eyes flicker as she stirs but never wakes.

They sedated her when we got here, allowing her lungs time to recover as she breathes slow. But they increased her levels this morning when she began to get restless. They said it's a good sign even though people don't usually react that way, get that distressed. But they still insist it's ok, that it's her showing us she's getting better. But I know the truth. I know what's going on in her head to make her so agitated. I'm replaying it in my head too...

_Getting her to the side, I suddenly realise I have no idea how to do this on my own. I can't get her out the water or even get myself out without letting her go, her body heavy and lifeless in my arms. She looks different. Her skin paler, her lips tinged blue. I lower my face to hers, praying and wishing to see her breathing, for her to move but feel nothing but the dread roll through me as nothing happens..._

_Suddenly she's moving, she's moving up and out of the water, swiftly being lifted from my arms and I'm about to shout, to stop her and hold on tighter._

_"Em, Em it's ok, we got her"_

_I look up to see Spencer up on the deck next to me, shortly followed by the others and two paramedics and many others. I can't help the gasp of relief that escapes my mouth at the sight of her and help I need._

_Paige is pulled out as I clamber out after her and bend to her side. People try to move me out the way and get me to explain what happened but I can't say a word. My eyes fixated on her, waiting for her to move, to be ok._

_I thought hearing no noise was bad, that no movement was the worst thing. But as the paramedics begin to work on her, the sound that gasps from deep in her lungs as her body suddenly lunges up is horrific. A gasp for air so evidently unsuccessful as her back hits the floor and it happens again just seconds later._

_She's trying to breathe, trying and failing._

_"Paige, Paige please...!" I sob and it's then I realise I'm crying. Everyone turns to me surprised by the first sounds to leave my mouth. I don't sound like me, it's a strangled and excruciating plea for help._

_"It's ok Miss... Let them do their work" I hear as a tall, well built, fully grown man places his hands on my shoulders from behind and attempts to pull me gently back from the paramedics that are quickly turning Paige on to her side as she rolls and coughs fiercely. She's coughing and violently jolting with gasps of air but she's not awake, she's not her. It's just a fight for survival._

_"Get off me!" I shout, not even realising he's a policeman as my eyes stay on Paige._

_"I really wouldn't…" I hear from Hanna as I see her come into view and move behind me with Spencer._

_"We can tell you everything she knows" Spencer says before their conversation fades._

_Finally, it's the sound I long to hear. As she gasps once more, it rattles through her, hits her chest and eventually finds a way through. The deepest, roughest sounding breath finally taken before her body lunges uncontrollably into cough after cough as the water is expelled from her lungs..._

Looking up at her still motionless in bed, covered to her waist with the hospital blanket, the entire ambulance ride, admission, rush through tests, scans and examinations is a total blur. Many a time people have tried to pull me away from her and I know the police have been pacing outside the door waiting to talk to me but for once they seem to understand. They know that right now I can't say a word. All I want is to see her wake up. I won't believe that she's fine until I hear the words from her lips.

The girls had filled everyone in with what has been going on. Once again our parents were fuming that we'd kept so much from them. Paige's parents beyond shocked when they heard the news. They rushed to the hospital and sat outside ever since. They may be harsh on Paige, but I know they just want the best for her. And it's only proven further when they let me stay with her and have left us alone, coming to check on us every hour to see if there's been any change… Their money combined with the mystery surrounding the 'attack' on Paige meant she was given a private side room. Something I couldn't be been happier about as it has it's own shower room, meaning I'm never more than 20 feet from her. There isn't a second I don't want to spend with my eyes glued firmly to her skin. I need to be here when she wakes up, need to be the first face she see's. But mostly, selfishly, _I_ need to be the first one to see _her_ wake up. I'll never believe it otherwise.

It's been 48 hours since we got here. Her critical status now having lowered. No longer on an oxygen mask or an IV. Just a heart rate monitor that lightly bleeps in the background. They say she should wake soon, but as she lies so still my eyes trace every inch of her. From her hairline to her covered form and back to her hands. The hair that's changed so much over the years but surrounds the same perfect face I fell for the first time I saw her, even if I didn't know it then. The hands that have so often reached for me and been linked in mine just like one is now. I take in her pale skin and how the hospital gown makes her seem even lighter. But mostly, I watch her chest rise and fall and her eyes flicker beneath her eyelids…

I'd been praying for her to wake from the moment I sat at her bedside, but when she had stirred, It scared me more than I thought possible. She'd slowly started to flinch and mumble lightly before her whole body suddenly turned. She rolled in her sleep so violently that it was obvious something awful was playing through her mind. Tears streamed down my face to see her in such distress. The movement had caused her to cough again which in turn caused her obvious pain. The nurses had rushed in as it continued and she began to shout out. They had moved straight for her and quickly placed something into her IV and she slowly settled. Ever since she's been in a deep sleep, wheezing from time to time but no other movement seen, no other noise heard.

My right hand linked in her left, I squeeze her fingers lightly. It's so strange to not feel any reaction. Her hand is so pale in mine, so soft but empty. Before all this, even when I've woken up and found her still asleep next to me, she somehow always as a light hold on my hand. Our fingers always linked and held softly even in our sleep. But now, now there's nothing. I gently bring my lips to her fingers, kissing each one in turn. The feel of her skin on my lips only making my need, my absolute want for her to burn under my skin. But it's alongside a nauseous feeling as this isn't how it's meant to be. Leaning up a little, I lace my fingers between hers, sliding them up and down softly and they remain still, slightly bent in relaxation but no response. I'd give anything to see them grip. Grip my hand and hold me back...

A light tap comes from behind me but I don't move, not taking my eyes off Paige and watching to see if she reacts to the noise... But she doesn't. The door clicks opens and I hear Hanna quietly ask.

"Hey Em... You ok?"

I want to answer, to not seem like I'm ignoring the friends I know have been taking shifts to sit outside so I'm never left on my own, but I can't get anything out. I know Hanna is here not just for me but for Paige too, and she probably wants to do more than sit in the waiting room, to visit and ask me all the questions they still need answers too…

"What can we do?" Spencer adds, whispered from the doorway. "Do you need anything?"

"Just for her to wake up" I mumble, lowering my head onto our joined hands on the bed as I hear the girls sigh in sympathy behind me.

"We're right outside ok..?"

I nod my head lightly, feeling bad about keeping them at a distance but I can't let them closer. Not in the room or in emotionally. If I do, if I let go the ounce of strength I have left that's holding me together, then without Paige here to piece me back together, I don't know how'd I manage…

"Please Paige, please just come back to me". I whisper against our hands as I slowly feel my eyes close, head swimming as my body feels heavy and I drift sleepily.

_"So... What d'you want to do?" I ask, walking through town, side by side on one of our first moments together since our pool reuniting._

_"How about... This" she answers softly, sliding her hand down my arm and softly into my hand. Linking her fingers in mine as shivers spread across my skin._

_As we continue to walk just a few more steps, the squeezes my hand gently and brings me to a stop. Turning me to look back at her as her absorbing, dark brown eyes stare straight through me. She's see's all of me, she always has. She smirks as if she reads my mind and pulls me closer. I smile but look around slightly as I see the rest of Rosewood going about their day. _

_We're stood in the middle of town, on the sidewalk by shops that we've been in every day for most of our lives. It's public, very public with us standing only inches apart and she knows it as she gently places her free hand on my hip and continues to grin. I laugh, rolling my eyes at her and quickly pull her off the street and into a loading bay between two stores._

_"What's with you?" I laugh and smile even wider as her free hand reaches back for me instantly._

_"What d'you mean?" she breathes out, holding my hand tight, the other on my hip and she nudges me to take a few steps backwards._

_My breath hitches in my throat as her eyes burn through mine and she walks me back until my back gently rests against the wall. My heart feels like it's about to burst out my chest, racing a mile a minute._

_"This…" I say, gesturing between us and where we are. "...Is what I mean. What's gotten into you?" _

_She giggles, finally losing her teasing smirk, her eyes breaking from mine as she laughs. But it doesn't stop the goosebumps rolling over my skin at the feel of her hand still pressing my hip lightly into the wall leaving just inches between us._

_"I've just been thinking…" she pauses as her hand leaves my hip before gently returning on the side of my neck. Her fingers lightly drifting to my hair as her thumb sweeps across my jaw. I feel like I've been dropped 100 feet as her eyes watch my lips and she subconsciously releases a breath against them._

_"Thinking what….?" I stutter, breaking the trance she's seems fixated in as she looks back to my eyes and smiles, moving forward into the last space between us._

_"…That this is how it's meant to be. It all finally makes sense. I can't believe it's taken us, me… so long to get here. But this, you… it's everything I want." She pauses and I couldn't smile wider, my free hand moving to rest on her lower back whilst the other holds her hand tight, silently agreeing with every word. "And I'll never hide it Em, I promise. I'll shout it from high on the rooftops and kiss you out on in the street! I'll…" she smirks and I laugh interrupting her, loving hearing this side of her and seeing how happy she is._

_"How about just kissing me here…?" I ask with a smirk to rival hers as I release her hand and trace both hands around her waist, to her lower back and pull her close._

_Her hands link around my neck at the same time her lips meet mine and it feels like we're one. It's soft, gentle and loving and makes my whole body warm up. Her fingers thread through my hair as I kiss her just a little harder and she gasps._

Her hands linked around my neck, but suddenly there's pressure on my hand. Pressure between my fingers even though I know our hands aren't attached…

"Emily…" is whispered and suddenly my eyes snap open.

Readjusting to the hospital room and not the flashback I so apparently started to dream, I register her voice.

It's Paige

"Paige…" I whisper, scarcely believing it was her that my name just came from.

My head raised and eyes instantly awake, I feel the grasp in my fingers once again. Looking back to our hands, her fingers twitch in mine.

"Oh my God, Paige… Paige it's ok, you're ok" I tell her and myself as I place my free hand over our linked fingers and squeeze them gently. "I'm here Paige" I add as I stand and look over her.

Her eyes flicker a little before they squint to just the smallest opening before closing again, frowning in obvious pain.

"Em…?" she croaks and her voice sounds so foreign I wouldn't have believed it came from her if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

"Paige… it's ok" I whisper as I raise one hand to her cheek and place it gently to her skin.

Suddenly, the heart rate monitors' bleep seems louder than ever as it suddenly blares around the room, quickening with every beat. Her chest begins to rise and fall at a rapid pace as her face contorts in pain. Her eyes suddenly snap open, looking directly at me. I jump in surprise as my hand leaves her cheek momentarily and I look back to her. Her eyes are completely glazed, it's like she not seeing me at all but something still in her own mind. Within an instant she takes a huge breath in…

"No!" she suddenly screams, the noise breaking through me. The first noise this room has heard above a whisper in two days.

But the instant it leaves her lips, she coughing and whimpering in pain. The sudden shout and huge breath obviously taken with no realization of her injuries and now she's in agony. Every breath causing her noticeable pain but she doesn't make it any easier as she begins to flinch and then turns and tries to sit, struggling against her own body as she fights an internal nightmare.

"Paige, Paige it's ok" I say as I step back closer and place my hand on her shoulder, trying to steady her whilst squeezing her hand in mine.

Her eyes are crunched closed and she continues to fight, the monitor continuing to bleep as her heart rate soars. Suddenly the door behind me is swung open, nurses and our friends pouring in. They begin to surround us as I stand next to her bed and they check the monitors. She's squirming in her bed, riling around as she coughs, moans in pain and mutter incomprehensible word after word.

"Get the Midazolam" One nurse says to another and I recognise the word from the last time.

"No, no don't! Just let me talk to her. Let me try!" I plead, putting my arm out to stop the nurse leaving to get the drug as she looks back to colleague.

With no immediate response from either, I quickly ignore them both and turn my attention to Paige. I sit myself on the edge of the bed and let go of her hand, with some difficulty as she grips it tightly. I place both my hands to her shoulders and push them gently back on the bed as she fights against me, coughing and wheezing constantly.

"Paige, Paige stop. It's ok" I try as she pushes up against my hands, her eyes still closed and breathing erratic.

"Off you go…" the nurse says to the other, sending her off to get the sedation and my stomach rolls over.

"No, no come on Paige. Paige please just calm down…" I say, looking over her and putting more pressure on her shoulders as she begins to relent. "You've gotta stop, I need you back. I need you Paige so you've got to wake up".

She takes another gasp for air but slowly release it, her heart rate lowers just slightly although every inch of her is still tense and grimacing in pain. Out of the corner of my eye I notice the nurse return and I raise one hand from Paige's shoulder to her cheek and gently stop her from moving out my hold. Her eyes flicker underneath her eyelids as her coughs and gasps for breath continue.

"Paige. It's me. You're ok…"

Suddenly her eyes snap open, just as quick as before as her hand reaches out and grips to the side of my shirt, the only thing within her reach. Her eyes are still glazed and rigid with fear.

"Look at me, you're ok. Just breathe" I whisper as I bend down a little closer, ensuring I'm the only person in her view and slowly she blinks.

Her chest slowly falls with each passing breath and she begins to calm. Her eyes slowly focus and there she is. She looking up at me with the all consuming deep brown eyes that I love and I sigh in relief. Keeping one hand on her cheek, I trace my thumb along her skin as I continue to tell her she's ok. Taking my other hand from her shoulder, I loosen her grip on my shirt and link my fingers in her's as her breathing finally calms.

"Em…" she breathes out, and although croaky and low, it's the best sound I've ever heard.

"Thank God" I finally sigh, only now believing that she'll be ok and she finally comes back to me.

Her eyes slowly blink closed and open again as her exhausted body settles and I notice that somewhere behind me, the room slowly clears. I lower my head to hers and rest our foreheads together, being careful not to lean on her as she attempts a smile at having me close.

"Are… are you ok?" she whispers, her breath sweeping over my face and I can't help but choke out a laugh. Somewhere between crying and laughing at that being the first full thing she says.

"Of course I am. At least now I am…" I answer, whispered into her cheek before I gently place a kiss there and lean up slightly.

Her eyes shut as she relishes the feeling but then a small frown appears across her face. Her eyes slowly lift and focus on me. Searching me for something I don't understand. Her fingers hold mine lightly as she whimpers in pain at a breath in but ignores it as she asks.

"Did you not see her?"

"See who?" I ask, seeing the worry appear on her face as she locks eyes with me.

"Alison."

* * *

**A quicker update as promised :-) I'm so glad you guys are still reading after my much longer than intended break. We're now coming to an end and next chapter will be the last. There's a possibility of continuing with a sort of sequel, but for now chapter 16 will draw everything to a close, no more cliffhangers! ;-P**  
**So thanks for reading ya'll and please continue to let me know what you think, review and spread the word about this fic. **

**:-)**


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